Guess what I did yesterday!?
Something unexpected and strangely memorable.
I spent about thirty minutes walking around the airport’s extended parking lot hunting for my car.
Awesome, right?
I rarely drive myself to the airport, so when I did that Thursday morning—at 4 AM—I parked, hauled my luggage in a sleepy stupor and walked to the terminal without a second thought.
While somewhere over the plains en route to the West Coast, it hit me: the airport parking lot is huge and everything looks the same in the dark. Add lack of coffee and the wrong glasses, and you have a recipe for confusion.
In a mild panic, I texted my husband. He suggested security could help and told me not to stress over the weekend. I decided to trust my intuition instead, convinced I would find the car quickly. Fast forward to me back on the ground, pressing the panic button as I retraced every row of cars. Stubbornness won that round.
By the time I finally made it home, Chinese takeout felt perfect, even if it wasn’t as good as the burgers pictured here. Lately I’ve been eating a lot of grilled cheeses and portobello burgers while flying solo, so these mushrooms have been a recurring favorite. They might not be my absolute favorite preparation, but paired with crunchy English muffins and melty asiago, they’re close to perfect.
The English muffin adds a crunchy, textured contrast that keeps the mushroom from being too soft. Roasted red peppers, asiago cheese and a glossy balsamic glaze finish the sandwich, creating a combination that’s unexpectedly brilliant.
Asiago Portobello Burgers with Roasted Red Peppers + Balsamic Glaze
Makes 4 burgers
- 4 large portobello mushrooms
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 medium roasted red peppers
- 4–5 ounces sliced asiago cheese
- 4 multigrain English muffins
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
Method
Place the balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer and reduce for 10–15 minutes, until the liquid is reduced by about half and slightly syrupy. Remove from heat and transfer to a small bowl or glass to cool and thicken.
In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of olive oil with the smoked paprika and onion powder. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and drizzle the remaining olive oil into the pan. Brush the tops of the portobello mushrooms with the olive oil and paprika mixture. Place the mushrooms top-side down in the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes until they release some juices.
Flip the mushrooms, top each with slices of asiago cheese, and cook another 5 minutes, or until the mushrooms are cooked through and the cheese has melted. Toast the English muffins, place a mushroom on each muffin half, top with roasted red peppers and drizzle generously with the balsamic glaze. Serve immediately.
Be annoyed. Make the burgers. Eat happily.
