the Older Bolder Life Vegetable Wednesday 15 August: Grilled Balsamic and Garlic Butter Mushrooms

Talking with our compadre Chef Libby in Austin this past week, I asked her (as I love to do) what the most popular foods have been that she and her team in Austin have crafted and served in her busy catering business over the past few weeks.

She mentioned several incredibly tasty sounding items, but these Grilled Balsamic and Garlic Butter Mushrooms sounded particularly good at the time.

Libby reminded me of the simple fact that there are dozens of variations of this pretty-much effortless recipe floating around out there. She likes to add just a hint of fresh thyme to the balsamic-based marinade, and most often finishes hers with a bit of basil cut in chiffonade.

She also insisted that the garlic butter be drizzled on after the mushrooms come off the grill (or else the garlic flavor washes out a bit on the grill), and finally she offered that browning the butter and garlic deepens the flavor a bit as well.

Thanks Libby!

3 pounds smallish button mushrooms (mix and match types), halved
3 tbsp good balsamic vinegar
1 and 1/2 tbsp tamari, coconut aminos, or soy sauce
6 garlic cloves, trimmed and minced, divided into two equal parts
3 tbsp good butter
Good salt to taste

Optional:
Add 1 tsp fresh thyme to the marinade
Chiffonade flat-leaf parsley or fresh basil for a garnish

Combine the balsamic vinegar, tamari/coconut aminos/soy sauce, half the garlic, and the thyme if using in a small mixing bowl. Set aside.

Trim and halve the mushrooms, then toss them into a resealable plastic bag. Now pour the marinade mixture over the mushrooms, squish things around to make sure the mushrooms are well coated, seal tightly, and set on the counter for an hour or so (at least 30 minutes).

Fire the grill; while it’s heating up, drain the mushrooms and thread onto skewers. Also, melt the butter in a small skillet or saucepan, then add the remainder of the garlic.

Now grill the mushrooms over medium-high heat (real wood/real wood charcoal plays amazingly well here) until well marked and softened a bit; 3-5 minutes per side pending your fire.

Pull the mushrooms, drizzle with the garlic butter, and set out immediately. You family and guests will be fighting over these…

Enjoy.