Gourmet Burger Class

Last weekend I had the pleasure of teaching a healthy cooking class. I focused on the health benefits of incorporating certain foods to create truly magnificent gourmet burgers.

The class turned out to be a ton of fun (of course!).

If you have spent any time reading this blog you will know that I am not a vegetarian, but that I love to eat loads and loads of veggies. There are so many vegetarians out there that do not get the benefit of a tasty, satisfying burger. Instead, the option is a veggie patty that usually comes out of a box and has little to no nutritional benefits (blah!). I wanted my class to have an easy option that would be quick and delicious to show their guests that they really care.

This recipe is great for on or off the grill

Portobello Burger

Ingredients:

• 4 Portobello Mushroom Caps (small enough to fit on a bun if you prefer, reserve stem)
• 1 Tbsp of Dijon Mustard
• 5 Tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Juice of 1 Lemon
• A few cranks of Celtic Sea Salt or Himalayan Sea Salt
• A crank of Pepper
• Optional - Dash of Balsamic Vinegar
• Optional Minced Garlic

Directions:

1. Clean the portobello mushrooms in cool water or use a damp cloth as these mushrooms can be delicate
2. Cut the stem off the mushroom and reserve the stem (you can cook them up too - yum)
3. Put all other ingredients in a bowl and mix
4. Then brush the mushrooms with the marinade/paste so that they are covered
5. Let them sit for 15-30 minutes
6. If you are cooking these mushrooms in a saute pan then put a bit of extra oil in a medium heat pan
7. Once the pan is hot - add the mushrooms, turn the heat down to medium/low
8. Watch the sides of the mushrooms and when the bottom looks like it is shrinking then flip it over
9. Cook the mushrooms on low-medium for about 5-10 minutes (depends on your range)
10. If you like you can top the mushrooms with sauteed leeks (again seems so fancy!)
11. Slice up the leeks and saute them in extra virgin olive oil
12. When the leeks are translucent spoon them on top of the mushrooms and enjoy

  Serving - 4 burgers
Now you are ready to enjoy these burgers on a bun or over mixed greens. Personally a meal isn't a meal without the greens so load up!