Okay, I know it is always amusing when Los Angeles people start complaining about the weather…but, we DID have a little heat wave the other day, and it was really hot outside! It was one of those dog days when you can’t imagine doing anything besides climbing into a walk-in freezer at a nearby restaurant and locking the door behind you. This didn’t stop a gorgeous vine ripened tomato from calling out to me from the garden. Before I knew it I had some fresh salsa cruda with stunning fragrant basil. To keep it moving in the direction of a minimally cooked, not heat producing dinner, I decided to whip this up. I have featured the “raw” portobello before (softened by dehydration at a low temperature). This is another example of how versatile the “raw” portobello can be. This is super simple and sure to refresh, and nourish you on a hot summer day.
(scroll down for interactive, printable recipe card, grocery list and more!)
“raw” portobello mushroom bruschetta
Mushrooms:
2 large portobello mushrooms
2
tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. tamari or liquid aminos
1 tbsp.
fresh lemon juice
Salsa Cruda:
1 very large, or 2 medium vine ripened
tomatoes, diced
1/3 cup julienned fresh basil
(use more or less depending on how much basil you like)
1 tsp.
(about a clove) chopped garlic
1/2 tsp. Balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp. olive oil
Pinch of salt and pepper to
taste
Optional:
Prepared hummus or baba ghanouj
Hemp seed for garnish
First, get the mushrooms going. Preheat your oven to it’s lowest temperature (usually 170º F). Mix the olive oil, tamari, and lemon juice in a small bowl to make a marinade. Remove the stems from the mushrooms. Using a pastry brush, generously brush the bottoms of the mushrooms with the marinade. Set the mushrooms on a baking sheet and brush the remainder of the marinade into the tops of the mushrooms. It is okay if there is some extra juice from the marinade resting in the mushroom. The mushroom will absorb the flavors while it is sitting in the oven, so use up all the marinade. Place in the oven and process for about 3 hours. You will know it is ready when the mushroom is completely tender to the touch and moist all the way through.
While the mushrooms are dehydrating, make the salsa cruda by mixing all the ingredients in a small mixing bowl. When the mushrooms are ready, fill each mushroom with a generous mound of the salsa. For an extra layer of flavor and protein, spread some hummus or babaghanouj on the mushrooms before putting the salsa cruda on top. Garnish with sprinkles of hemp seed.
"raw" portobello mushroom bruschetta
Ingredients
- Mushrooms:
- 2 large portobello mushrooms
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tbsp. tamari or liquid aminos
- 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- Salsa Cruda:
- 1 very large vine ripened tomatoes or 2 medium; diced
- 1/3 cup julienned fresh basil use more or less depending on how much basil you like
- 1 tsp. chopped garlic about a clove
- 1/2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- Pinch of salt and pepper to taste
- Optional:
- Prepared hummus or baba ghanouj
- Hemp seed for garnish
Instructions
- First, get the mushrooms going. Preheat your oven to it’s lowest temperature (usually 170º F).
- Mix the olive oil, tamari, and lemon juice in a small bowl to make a marinade.
- Remove the stems from the mushrooms. Using a pastry brush, generously brush the bottoms of the mushrooms with the marinade. Set the mushrooms on a baking sheet and brush the remainder of the marinade into the tops of the mushrooms. It is okay if there is some extra juice from the marinade resting in the mushroom. The mushroom will absorb the flavors while it is sitting in the oven, so use up all the marinade.
- Place in the oven and process for about 3 hours. You will know it is ready when the mushroom is completely tender to the touch and moist all the way through.
- While the mushrooms are dehydrating, make the salsa cruda by mixing all the ingredients in a small mixing bowl.
- When the mushrooms are ready, fill each mushroom with a generous mound of the salsa. For an extra layer of flavor and protein, spread some hummus or babaghanouj on the mushrooms before putting the salsa cruda on top.
- Garnish with sprinkles of hemp seed.