Improvisation: Grilled Porcini
If you’ve ever seen a porcini, with its massive cap and bulbous base, you’ve surely been tempted slice up that sucker and brush it with a little oil and grill that baby. Slice however makes sense and feel free to keep the cap whole if you want. Once you see a couple of nice grill marks, go ahead and flip her. Get a couple more grill marks on that side. Turn 90 degrees and grill on each side again if you want hatch marks, but be careful not to dry out your porcini.
Baste:
Pinch of salt and pepper and chili flake (if you like)
1 tbsp grapeseed oil
½ c olive oil
½ c butter, cubed
1 clove of garlic, minced
⅓ c minced fresh herbs (whatever you like: mint, tarragon, oregano, thyme, rosemary, etc.)
Fire up your grill so you have some nice hot coals, several inches (4-5) from your grate.
Heat garlic over tbsp of grapeseed oil for a few minutes on medium heat. Once you start to smell a strong perfume of garlic in the air, add herbs and turn down to a simmer. Stir in ½ c butter. Incorporate ½ c olive oil and add a generous helping of salt. Stir and taste. Add salt and/or pepper accordingly.
Slice porcini into large slices. If it has a small stem slice vertically, if it’s fat and bulbous, slice horizontally. If it’s a really wide stem, consider keeping whole on the grill. Place on hot grill.
Baste with baste immediately. As mushroom cooks keep an eye to make sure it doesn’t burn. Flip. Once hot inside and with a browned exterior serve immediately as you prefer. Sprinkle with salt and more fresh herbs for serving.
Pro tip: I regret not grilling a lemon cut in half and squeezing that over each slice upon mushroom upon serving.