CAPRESE & GRILLED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM WICH

(courtesy Xavs Norr, Chef and Restaurateur, Route 66 and Tin Tin Gastro Bar)

METHOD

● For the roasting of Portobello mushrooms, heat the oven to 160 degrees celsius. Clean the mushroom at the bottom with a paring knife and remove the brownish fluff from it, till you see the white flesh of the mushroom Season with a generous drizzle of olive oil, chopped garlic, salt, pepper and a dab of Balsamic vinegar. Toss with your hands till the mushrooms are marinated, lay on a tray and roast for 15 minutes.

● For the Pesto, take a small mixer jar and blitz all the ingredients (under the head for pesto) until you have a lovely gritty puree. Store aside, this can be stored in your fridge for a week, you could freeze this as well.

● For the Caprese of Tomato & Mozza, slice three tomatoes to a three mm thickness, lay them on a tray, and season with a small drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle rock salt and crushed pepper

● Open your packet of buffalo mozzarella, drain the whey in a bowl. Slice the mozzarella to an 8mm thickness, to get four slices, lay on a tray and season the same way as you did with the tomatoes. Brush generously with your homemade pesto

● Store the leftover mozzarella in the whey in the fridge, buffalo mozzarella has a minimal shelf life.

For the Pesto Mayonnaise

● Mix all the ingredients under the pesto mayonnaise together in a small bowl, taste, and season to your taste

● To assemble, cut the Ciabatta breads in half, spread the pesto mayonnaise, on all the sides of your bread then add on top a handful of Rocca lettuce and sprigs of basil on the bottom cut ciabatta, then layer the roasted Portobello mushrooms, add the slices of buffalo mozzarella, the seasoned sliced tomatoes, cover the sandwich with the top part of the ciabatta

● Take a butcher’s string and tie the wich in the middle to secure it and it’s ready for your picnic.

INGREDIENTS

● Ciabatta 2 (6" long)

● Portobello Mushroom 6

● Buffalo Mozzarella 100 grams

● Pesto Mayonnaise 3 tbsp

● Olive oil 4 tbsp

● Arugula lettuce a handful

● Balsamic Vinegar1 tbsp

● Rock salt

● Crushed black Pepper

● Chopped garlic 1 tsp

For the pesto

50 grams of basil leaves

1 tsp toasted pine nuts

2 cloves of garlic

2 tsp of parmesan cheese

Olive oil 100 ml

For the Pesto Mayonnaise

3 tbsp Mayonnaise

2 tsp Pesto

1 tsp Olive oil