Marinated Grilled Portobello Mushrooms are a hearty vegan and/or vegetarian option for summer barbecues, and this recipe is bursting with fresh, spicy and delicious flavors.*Please note that 6 hours of the prep time is marinating time.
Clean the mushrooms. Use a damp towel to gently wipe the mushrooms clean. Then use the dull side of a small paring knife to gently scrape off the gills from the underside of the mushroom. (This little extra step is important because this portion of the mushroom can become quite bitter when it's grilled.)
Make the marinade. In a small mixing bowl, combine the tamari or soy sauce with the lime juice, scallion, garlic and chili paste. Then gradually mix in the oil and blend until smooth.
Marinate. Place the two mushrooms in a large zip-lock bag and pour the marinade over them. Use your hands to ensure the marinade is evenly covering both sides of the mushrooms. Place the bag in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 6 hours, and ideally overnight.
Grill. The next day, when you're ready to cook, preheat your BBQ or stove-top grill. Remove the mushrooms from the bag, gently shaking any excess marinade back into the bag. (Save this for later!) Put the mushrooms on a large plate and season both sides with the salt and pepper. Place the mushrooms on the preheated grill -- if you don't hear a sizzle, take them off until it's hot enough! They will not grill and caramelize properly unless the grill is hot enough! Grill the mushrooms until they are nicely charred and tender, about 3 or 4 minutes per side.
Slice and serve. After the mushrooms have slightly cooled, cut them into then slices, place them on serving plate and drizzle with the remaining marinade. Unlike when you're cooking "real" meat, this is totally safe to do! The mushrooms can be served, hot, warm, room temperature or chilled in a salad!