Portobello Bruschetta with Gorgonzola Butter and Red Pepper Vinaigrette

[DessertGuy]

Portobello Bruschetta with Gorgonzola Butter and Red Pepper Vinaigrette
Recipe courtesy Gourmet Magazine

8 to 12 (1/2-inch-thick) diagonal slices of country-style Italian bread

For marinade:
5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
6 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves or 2 teaspoons dried thyme, crumbled
1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/2 pounds fresh portobello mushrooms, stems trimmed flush with caps

For Gorgonzola butter:
2 ounces Gorgonzola (about 1/4 cup), at room temperature
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

For red pepper vinaigrette:
1 red bell pepper, roasted (procedure follows), or 1/3 cup chopped drained bottled roasted red peppers
1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Garnish: fresh thyme leaves


Make the bruschetta: Grill the bread on an oiled rack set about 4 inches over glowing coals for 1 minute on each side.
Make marinade: In a small bowl whisk together marinade ingredients. Put half of mushroom caps and half of marinade in each of 2 large sealable plastic bags, arranging mushroom caps in 1 layer, and seal bags, pressing out excess air. Marinate mushrooms at room temperature, turning bags over several times, at least 1 and up to 2 hours.

Prepare grill.

Remove mushrooms from marinade and grill 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until tender. (Alternatively, mushrooms may be grilled in a hot well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderately high heat.) Transfer mushrooms with tongs to a cutting board and slice thin.

Spread 1 side of bread with gorgonzola butter.

Arrange warm mushrooms on toasts and spoon vinaigrette over each bruschetta. Garnish with thyme.


For gorgonzola butter:
2 ounces gorgonzola cheese (about 1/4 cup), at room temperature
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

Make gorgonzola butter while mushrooms are marinating: On a plate with a fork mash gorgonzola and butter together until blended well.

For red pepper vinaigrette:
1 red bell pepper, roasted (procedure follows), or 1/3 cup chopped
drained bottled roasted red peppers
1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Make red pepper vinaigrette: In a blender blend vinaigrette ingredients with salt and pepper, to taste until smooth and emulsified.

To roast peppers: Using a long-handled fork char peppers over an open flame, turning, until skins are blackened, 2 to 3 minutes. (Or broil peppers on rack of a broiler pan under a preheated broiler about 2 inches from heat, turning every 5 minutes, until skins are blistered and charred, 15 to 25 minutes.) Transfer peppers to a bowl and let stand, covered, until cool enough to handle. Keeping peppers whole, peel them, starting at blossom end. Cut off tops and discard seeds and ribs.