Large Plates
The white, green, and red colors of the traditional Caprese traces its roots to a patriotic post-World War I Italian chef that wanted to make an Italian flag inspired dish. This recipe replaces the traditional basil leaves with a flavor bomb of nut-free pesto and adds the mighty and meaty portobello mushroom to make it a wildly satisfying main dinner plate. It just so happens that this recipe is perfect for making on the revolutionary OFYR Tabl'O, a smokeless, portable tabletop grill fired with eco-friendly coconut briquettes. Perfect for two, four, or six people, this grill is ideal for apartments and space constrained areas. It is also awesome as an ambiance builder and an intimate cooking together experience. Just about anything you can cook on a larger grill may be cut up into smaller portions and grilled on it. The virtually non-stick steel coated top is ideal for grilling summer's vegetable bounty.
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, stems removed, densely packed
- 1/2 cup spinach leaves, stems removed, densely packed
- 2 large garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 cup fruity extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 cup ground pecorino Romano cheese
- 1/4 cup ground Paremesan Reggiano cheese
- 4 portobello mushroom caps, wiped clean of any dirt
- 1 buffalo mozzarella ball (12 ounces--there will be leftover cheese but this size is needed to accommodate the diameter of the mushroom cap), 4 slices each 1/4" thick
- 1 large heirloom tomato, 4 slices each 1/4
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Sea salt flakes
Directions
- To make the pesto, put the basil, spinach, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor and pulse twice.
- Begin slowly adding 1 cup of the olive oil through the feed tube and pulse until the basil mixture reaches the desired consistency.
- Place in a glass container with a lid, stir in the cheeses, and a bit of salt and pepper. Taste for seasoning, stir in a bit more olive oil if the pesto is too thick or too dry.
- Finish with a thin layer of olive oil over the top (prevents browning), cover, and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Prepare the OFYR Tabl'O grill according to directions.
- Just before placing the mushroom caps on the grill, brush the tops and bottoms with olive oil.
- Place the mushrooms on the Tabl'O gills down. Roast for 5 minutes and then turn gills face up.
- Dollop a large spoonful of pesto over the mushroom cap (use tongs to prevent the mushroom from moving). Using a small spatula or off set knife, spread the pesto over the mushroom.
- Brush the tomato slices with olive oil. Place alongside the mushroom caps until one side is charred, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Place a slice of mozzarella over each of the pesto topped portobello caps and top with one slice of tomato.
- Grill until the cheese just begins to ooze.
- Sprinkle the tops with sea salt flakes and drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Serve immediately.
Grilling Notes
The pesto keeps one week in the refrigerator, or six months in the freezer. Choose portobello mushrooms with caps that are firm and uniform in color. Mushrooms should be dry to slightly tacky, not slimy. For a stronger earthy taste, choose mushrooms with thick veils that are dark in color.