Portobello-Avocado Burger

I LOVE burgers. I’ve made some really great burgers in my life - and most of them have been based on using meat. However, every once in a while, I want to forgo meat and would much rather have something vegetarian. Although I’ve played around with a lot of veggie-based patties - and have had great success with quite a few of them - I’m always on the look-out for the next great thing. Namely, I want that next great thing to lead me toward a vegetarian burger that does not just satisfy my desire for a burger, but that is so utterly delicious that I don’t even think twice about some missing meat patty AND that actually makes me crave that very burger. And here we are: I LOVED this veggie burger. I think it’s so incredibly good, that it creeps into my mind every so often. It makes me salivate. I can’t help it. I want it - hopefully, you will, too.

Ingredients (for ONE burger) - multiply for for people: 1 hearty bread roll (I like Tuscan style rolls but you can also use a Kaiser roll)

1 large portobello mushroom (or two medium cremini), cleaned, stem(s) removed.

2 Tbs. olive oil

3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

sea salt

freshly-ground black pepper

1 ripe avocado

1 Tbs. brown sugar

1 large leaf of iceberg lettuce

1 Tbs. freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

4 small (or two large) leaves fresh basil

1 small tomato, sliced

Let’s get started: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place the mushroom(s) open-side up in a small baking dish. Douse the mushroom(s) with the olive oil and 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake in oven for 10-12 minutes. While the mushrooms are baking, add the brown sugar and the remaining Tbs. fesh lemon juice to a small bowl. Half the avocado, remove the core, and spoon the avocado into the bowl. Mash it all together with a fork until well integrated.

Slice your bread roll in half and add to the hot oven for about two minutes. Remove and spread the avocado mix on the lower half. Cover the avocado mix with the lettuce.

By now, the mushroom(s) should be done - remove them from the oven, drain out the liquid that is this inside the mushroom cap(s), and place onto the lettuce. If the mushroom(s) are unwieldy, slice them into 1/4 inch thick strips. Top the hot mushroom(s) with the grated parmesan. Place a few tomato slices on top. Finally, add the basil leaves and the top half of the bread.

Dig in!