Portobello Burgers with Caramelized Onions and Tomato-Ginger Jam

With their meaty texture and naturally savory flavor, portobello mushrooms make a nutritious vegetarian substitute to beef burgers. Every home cook should have a few impressive sauces in their bag of tricks, and this savory jam is just the one.

 

Portobello Burgers with Caramelized Onions and Tomato-Ginger Jam

 

For the jam:

1 Tbs. olive oil

1/4 cup (1 1/2 oz./45 g) minced shallots

2 Tbs. minced fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 lb. (500 g) ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped

2 tsp. brown sugar

1 tsp. cider vinegar

1/4 tsp. salt

 

For the caramelized onions:

2 tsp. olive oil

1 red onion, halved and sliced

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 tsp. balsamic vinegar

 

For the portobello burgers:

4 portobello mushrooms, stemmed

1 Tbs. olive oil

1/2 tsp. balsamic vinegar

Salt and freshly ground pepper

4 green-leaf lettuce leaves

4 thick slices sourdough bread, toasted

 

To make the jam, in a saucepan over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the shallots, ginger, and garlic and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the cumin and cinnamon and cook for 1 minute to toast. Add the tomatoes, brown sugar and vinegar and reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break apart and the mixture thickens, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly, then transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Season with salt.

 

To make the onions, in a fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, about 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until brown, about 20 minutes. Add the vinegar and cook until the liquid has absorbed, about 2 minutes.

 

Prepare a hot fire in a grill, or warm a stove-top grill pan over high heat. Brush the mushrooms with the oil and vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Grill the mushrooms until they’re soft but retain their shape, about 4 minutes per side.

 

Place a lettuce leaf on each sourdough slice and top with a mushroom, the tomato-ginger jam and the caramelized onions, and serve immediately. Serves 4.

 

 

 

Find more wholesome recipes for every day of the year in our new cookbook,
Healthy Dish of the Day, by Kate McMillan.