Meat Cheats (Derek Sarno)

[sheen]

Suspiciously Simple Meat Cheats (Derek Sarno): Double-Double Big Portabella Burger/The Double-Double-Big, Double Bang, Double Trouble Portabella Burger. This is great for a meat-free meal using some big, hearty & meaty portabella mushrooms, garlic seared white button mushrooms & some flavourful slabs of smoked tofu. Seasoned just right, we'll toast & press our way to a deliciously filling breakfast/lunch/dinner that will impress friends & family. - Double-Double Big Portabella Burger (Makes 2 hearty or 4 regular-sized sandwiches) - Ingredients: 4 medium portabella mushrooms - 300g white button mushrooms thinly sliced - 300g Firm tofu smoked/regular sliced lengthwise into quarters - 6Tb neutral flavored oil - 2–4 Soft buns ready to be butter toasted - 3 Garlic cloves finely minced - 2Tb Vegan Butter - 2tb maple syrup - 2Tb Vegan Mayo - 2–3Tb BBQ Sauce (your favorite kind) - 1tb dried sage - 1ts granulated onion - 1ts black pepper - salt to taste - Instructions: Heat a cast iron skillet on medium-high & add about a drizzle of oil to coat the pan until it sizzles when splashed with water. Caution is key here. Place portabella mushrooms gill-side down. Press firmly with an additional cast iron pan/weighted pan, flipping occasionally, until they develop a dense, meat-like texture, adding a drizzle of water now & then to steam them to perfection. This takes a few minutes. Patience yields taste. Near the end of cooking, add the butter pad & cook to melt, then season the mushrooms with granulated onion, sage, salt & pepper. Glaze one side of the mushroom with a drizzle of maple syrup & set them aside on a baking sheet. Warm the oven to 400F/200C using convection settings, or a touch longer if you're baking the old-fashioned way. Use the same pan to cook the white button mushrooms & garlic, pan roasting them for 5–10mins. Add a splash of water or feel free to add wine/broth here, sear until they're golden brown & form crispy edges, dust with salt & pepper to season. Sear the tofu slabs in the same pan, giving them 2–3mins on each side to develop a crisp golden exterior. Sprinkle with seasoning, then place them to the baking sheet with the portabella mushrooms. With everything on the same baking sheet place the mushrooms & tofu into the oven for a 10-15mins finale, ensuring everything is piping hot & flavors have melded. While the oven works its magic, butter toast the buns in the pan face down until they’re golden & crisp to your liking. It's time to build your burger masterpiece, stacking ingredients in your preferred order & crowning with a dollop of mayo & a generous drizzle of BBQ sauce. Dive in & savor!