Grilled Portobello Pizzas & Vegetable Skewers w/ Lemon & Basil Oil

This post is also available in: Suomi (Finnish)

this post is sponsored by Puhtaasti kotimainen.

A few weeks ago I got to experience something new and fun, as we filmed a cooking video for Champ mushrooms in our inner yard. I got to throw a mini grill party and make two different recipes in a small kettle grill – for the first time in my life – and then we filmed it all! I’m definitely not an expert when it comes to grilling, but I do have a deep passion for simple and tasty summer meals, so I came up with two very easy, yet very delicious recipes: grilled portobello pizzas and grilled vegetable skewers with lemon and basil oil. They really are very simple and only require a few ingredients, so they’re very summer-cottage-no-amenities-friendly. Check out the video below and see me make them!

If you want to buy a new grill have a look at Wolfleys as they have some great buyers’ guides.

These grilled portobello pizzas were an instant favorite among all my taste testers and they really are that good. Grilled portobellos are very tasty in itself (and great for burgers!) but I really love stuffing them with different kinds of toppings. This time I went for very simple flavors and made the pizzas with tomato paste, fresh tomatoes, bufala mozzarella, and fresh basil. Next time I’ll try spinach, olives, herbs, and maybe feta, so there are lots of options for toppings. And if you’d like to make a vegan version, you could go for a vegan cheese, or just add lots of veggies or other tasty toppings, like artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes.

For my other recipe I wanted to use champignon mushrooms, so I made vegetable skewers with the mushrooms, cauliflower, and zucchini. My secret to tasty grilled vegetables is to marinate them after they’ve been grilled, not before. Adding the marinade to the already grilled vegetables makes them really flavorful, and also that way you won’t have to worry about dripping all that tasty marinade to the charcoal / gas. Grilled cauliflower and zucchini are my favorites, but cherry tomatoes, broccoli, corn, or even watermelon and pineapple would be great in these skewers too. And I also love grilled apple!

You’ll find both of the recipes below and from the Puhtaasti kotimainen site, which has lots of other recipes too, including a few ones I made for them last summer. I hope you like the video and the recipes, and I wish you all a wonderful, relaxing, and tasty midsummer weekend! Enjoy, friends! x

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Grilled Portobello Pizzas

makes 4 pizzas

4 portobello mushrooms
1 tbsp olive oil
3-4 tbsp tomato paste
a handful of cherry tomatoes or 2 tomatoes, sliced thin
1 ball bufala mozzarella, sliced
fresh basil
salt & black pepper

METHOD:

1. Warm up the grill. Clean the mushrooms gently and remove the the stem. Remove brown gills from the undersides of mushroom caps using a spoon. Brush a bit of olive oil over both sides of the mushrooms and add a pinch of salt.

2. Place the mushrooms bowl side down and grill for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms have a bit of color. You can also fry the mushrooms on a grill pan. Take the mushrooms off the grill or pan, or fill the mushrooms directly in the grill, if it’s not too hot.

3. Flip the mushrooms and spread a bit of tomato paste on the bottom of each portobello. Fill with sliced cherry tomatoes and mozzarella and continue to grill / fry for about 5 to 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the mushrooms have softened. Move the mushrooms carefully to a plate and finish with fresh basil, salt, and black pepper. Serve warm and enjoy!

Vegetable Skewers w/ Lemon & Basil Oil

notes: if you’re using wooden skewers, remember to soak them beforehand for 30 minutes to prevent them from burning. if you like, you can add other vegetables to the skewers too!

serves 4 as a side

200 g champignon mushrooms
½ zucchini
½ cauliflower
¼ cup lemon & basil oil
+ skewers for grilling

Lemon & Basil Oil
notes: you’ll end up with some extra, but you can use it as a dressing for salads or other grilled food, or store in the fridge for a few days. 

makes about ¾ cup

1 medium bunch of basil, stems removed
1/2 lemon, juiced
¾ cup olive oil
a pinch of salt & black pepper

METHOD:

1. Start by preparing the basil oil. Add the basil, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and black pepper to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a glass jar and set aside.

2. Clean the mushrooms and remove the hard stems. Cut the zucchini and cauliflower into chunks and thread the vegetables alternately onto a few skewers. Grill on medium heat for about 10-15 minutes, until the vegetables have softened and the mushrooms are clearly browned.

3. Take the skewers off the grill and remove the vegetables from the skewers carefully. Add to a big bowl, pour about 1/4-1/3 cup of the basil & lemon oil on top and mix well. Let marinate for at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve and enjoy!

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