THE TREND IS TO BLEND
Meat-and-mushroom recipes to try tonight
Imagine an award-winning pitmaster serves you a juicy cheeseburger piled high with toppings. Bet your mouth’s watering. But this isn’t your typical patty. There’s a twist — button mushrooms blended with the beef.
“We had a lot of compliments — people saying it’s the best burger they ever had,” described Jerry Gates of Bar-B-Que Mayham in Greencastle, who recently demonstrated his technique at the Pennsylvania Farm Show. “The white button mushrooms have a creamier, softer texture, so they help keep the moisture in the burger.”
He credits “layers of flavor” for the team’s second Keystone Classic “Blue Ribbon Better Blend Burger” title in three years.
“In doing a blended burger, it helps you be more creative and think outside the box,” Gates said. “We put mushrooms in the meat, and we also stuffed the burger with mushrooms. And we had sautéed mushrooms on top.”
Kick off the New Year with a new term for a new you — blenditarian, aka someone “who believes the mighty, meaty mushroom makes meals more delicious, nutritious and sustainable,” according to the Mushroom Council.
“It’s a way to give people an opportunity who may not like to eat mushrooms to try mushrooms in a different way, the versatility of them,” explained Gale Ferranto, president of Buona Foods in Landenberg.
She managed the mushroom growers’ food-court booth at the Farm Show, stocking about 8,500 blended burgers and encouraging fans to share #BlenditarianPA.
“We’re trying to connect with blenditarians and start a movement of blenditarians,” Ferranto said. “It’s a better burger. You don’t have to give up that iconic thing you love.”
“It’s not just burgers… any type of protein,” added Jim Angelucci, general manager of Phillips Mushroom Farms in Kennett Square, who makes meatloaf with 40-percent fresh crimini mushrooms.
“It gives it a real good texture, great moisture,” he noted. “Plus, I know I’ve reduced the bad things — the fat, the calories and the sodium.”
“Blending is trending” as they say in the mushroom world.
“Why didn’t we think of it sooner?” asked Angelucci.
Mighty Mushroom Blended Burger INGREDIENTS
8 ounces fresh mushrooms 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 1 pound ground beef (or ground turkey, chicken or pork) ½ teaspoon salt 4 buns
INSTRUCTIONS
Finely dice mushrooms or gently pulse in food processor. In skillet, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium-high heat and add mushrooms, cooking 5 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes. Transfer cooled mushrooms to medium bowl. Add ground beef and salt, mixing until combined. Make 4 patties. Add remaining olive oil to pan and cook burger patties on medium-high heat until internal temperature reaches at least 160 degrees. Assemble burger and add toppings such as lettuce, tomato, mushrooms, cheese, onions, avocado and pickles.
RECIPE COURTESY OF THE MUSHROOM COUNCIL
Blend Lasagna Roll Ups INGREDIENTS
½ pound mushrooms, finely chopped ½ pound lean ground beef 1 small onion, chopped 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well drained 1½ cups ricotta cheese 1 egg, lightly beaten 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning 12 lasagna noodles, cooked per package instructions 2 cups spaghetti or marinara sauce 1 cup shredded mozzarella
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the mushrooms in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse until finely chopped. In a large skillet, cook meat, mushrooms and onion. In a bowl, combine thawed spinach, ricotta cheese, egg and Italian seasoning. Mix well. Add to skillet with meat and mushrooms; stir until combined. Spread meat and ricotta mixture over each cooked lasagna noodle. Carefully roll up tightly. Pour 1 cup of spaghetti sauce into bottom of baking dish. Place all rolls seamside-down in dish. Top rolls with remaining sauce and shredded mozzarella. Cover and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Makes 12 rolls.
RECIPE COURTESY OF THE MUSHROOM COUNCIL
Blended Turkey Meatloaf INGREDIENTS
½ pound mushrooms, finely chopped 1 pound lean ground turkey ½ small onion, finely diced ½ teaspoon garlic & herb seasoning 1 cup breadcrumbs 1 egg 3 tablespoons mustard 3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/3 cup ketchup
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a