Grilled Portobello Mushroom Sandwich with Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce (AND DIP!)

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Sandwich with Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce
makes two sandwiches

Ingredients:
• 2 portobello mushroom caps
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• Monterey Jack cheese
• baby spinach leaves
• Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce (below)
• hamburger bun or Kaiser roll (we used onions rolls – any will work)

Preparation Instructions:

1. Preheat your grill.
2. In the meantime, wash all of your veggies. Remove the stem from the portobello mushroom caps, Wash the spinach and set it aside, and slice the cheese.
3. Place the portobello mushroom caps upside down on a plate and sprinkle them liberally with extra virgin olive oil and a little salt and pepper. Make sure they’re nice and wet, so that they can soak up all of that juice as they cook.
4. When the grill is hot, carefully transfer the portobello mushroom caps to the grill without spilling their contents. Add the cheese to start melting.
5. Watch the mushroom cap carefully. When it starts to blacken and wrinkle around the outside, check the middle with a fork. If the cap is very soft and pliant, and the fork sinks in without any resistance, it is done. Take it off of the grill.
7. Meanwhile, right before the mushrooms get done, toast the bun or Kaiser roll on the grill.
8. When everything is done, spread some Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce on both sides of the bun. Assemble the sandwich with the mushroom and the baby spinach leaves. Add a little salt and pepper if needed. Enjoy!


Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce

• 1 large red bell peppers
• 1 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1/8 cup fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ¾ cups half-and-half
• 1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat broiler. Halve the red pepper and remove the seeds. Lightly coat the red pepper with olive oil. Grill pepper under the broiler until the skin is blackened, and the flesh has softened slightly. Place the pepper in a paper bag or resealable plastic bag to cool for approximately 30 minutes.
2. Remove the skin from the pepper (the skin should come off the pepper easily now). Cut pepper into small pieces.
3. In a skillet, cook and stir the garlic, basil, and red peppers in the olive oil over medium heat. Cook for 10 minutes, so that the flavors mix.
4. Place mixture in blender (careful it is hot), and puree to desired consistency. Return puree to skillet, and reheat to a boil. Stir in the half-and-half and the Romano cheese; cook and stir until the cheese melts. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 5 minutes or until thick.

Serve as is, or you can mix this with one part pepper sauce, two parts sour cream for a delicious vegetable/chip dip.