I hate to brag, but the weather up here in the DC area today is pretty much perfect. Perhaps this is Mother Nature’s way of making up for a potential government shutdown this week? Either way, I’m glad to have 75 and sunny! (Though my thoughts go out to my friends who may be furloughed on Tuesday.)
This was supposed to be a smoker meal, but the weather was just too nice for us not to fire up the grill again. Before we got the grill heated up, I put a whole spaghetti squash in the oven at 375 (with plans for it to cook for an hour or so, all told) and then commenced with the cookout.
Great Country Farms provided us with a slew of green beans this week, so I prepared them by snapping off the ends, putting them into an aluminum grill pan with some butter, Cajun seasoning, and diced fresh tomato, and covering them with foil. Once the grill was properly heated, I tossed the pan onto the grates and let it cook for about 20 minutes.
After those 20 minutes had elapsed, it was time to cook the mushrooms! In the mid-afternoon, I washed the three caps, put them in a zip-top bag, and tossed them with some olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and steak seasoning. They marinated until it was time to shine on the grill, and then I added them to the fire. A couple of quick flips in five-minute increments, and they were ready! (You can find the full step-by-step recipe below.)
By this time, the spaghetti squash was also ready for its close-up, so I removed it from the oven, let it cool for a minute or two, and then cut it open crosswise. I scooped out the seeds and began to separate all the spaghetti-like strands with a fork, putting them into a serving bowl as they separated. I tossed the finished product with some butter, salt, and pepper, and added some nutritional yeast flakes on top for texture, and just like that, dinner was served – al fresco, as the sun began to slip down in the West. A perfect end to September!
GRILLED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM CAPS
Serves three
What you’ll need:
3 portobello mushroom caps
¾ cup olive oil
½ cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. pepper
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. onion powder
½ tsp. steak seasoning
Wash the mushroom caps thoroughly and dry them well. Then place them in a zip-top bag – I actually use two, one nestled inside another – and top with the remaining ingredients. Seal the bag(s) and work the mixture around gently with your hands to ensure all mushrooms are covered (depending on the size of your caps, you may need additional olive oil and/or vinegar – you can add it at this stage). Then place the bag(s) in the refrigerator and let marinate for two to three hours.
When you’re ready for dinner, heat your grill up and place the mushrooms, cap side down, on the grates. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes and flip, cooking for another 5 to 8. If you like them especially charred, you can leave them on much longer – but I find this timing is adequate for our tastes!
:)