Mushroom Steak -- For the One Person at the Cookout Who Does Not Eat Pork

Memorial Day weekend. The symbolic start of summer. Two Hartford cookouts on the same day because Miguel Jr. invited his Aetna coworkers to his house at noon and I could not say no to hosting our own family dinner at 5, so I did both.

I made pernil for Miguel Jr.'s cookout — an eight-pound shoulder that I roasted on Saturday, let rest overnight, and sent over with him Sunday morning, along with a bucket of arroz con gandules and a dozen tostones. His coworkers had never had pernil. Miguel Jr. texted me at 1 PM: "They are crying. Mom. They are actually crying. Jen Mahoney from underwriting said this is the best thing she has ever eaten. She asked for the recipe. I told her you do not give out the recipe." This is correct. I do not give out the recipe.

Our 5 PM dinner was twelve people. Eduardo, me, Miguel Jr., Jenny, Lucas, Isabella, Mateo, Rosa, Carlos, Camila, Sofía, Mami. Plus Linda and Dan arrived unannounced with a bottle of wine. Fourteen. I made a second smaller pernil for our own dinner and it was juicier than the first one, which is just luck, because pernils have their moods.

Mami ate two full slices. She sat at her usual spot next to Eduardo. She was sharp. She told Lucas a story about when his father was five — the time Miguel Jr. climbed the refrigerator in this kitchen and got stuck on top and Eduardo had to lift him down — and Lucas laughed so hard he choked on a tostone. Jenny smacked his back. Miguel Jr. said, "Mom, why did you tell him that?" Mami said, "So he knows his father was also disobedient. The next generation always thinks the previous generation was perfect. I am correcting the record."

Eduardo laughed. The laugh was rare. Eduardo does not belly-laugh often, but Mami had reached into his chest with one sentence and pulled it out of him. I watched it happen. I will remember it.

Monday morning the house was a disaster and I cleaned it until 2 PM. Eduardo drove to Home Depot to buy gardening stuff — tomato plants, I will write about this next week — and I sat in the clean kitchen at 3 PM and drank iced coffee and I thought: thirty-six days until retirement. The kitchen will become a Tuesday-afternoon kitchen. I will be in it at 3 PM on a Tuesday. I do not know what I will do with a Tuesday at 3 PM. I will find out.

Mami came for dinner Tuesday. I made her something light — a bowl of caldo, a piece of bread, a little cheese. She ate half the soup. She said, "Saturday was a good day, Carmen." I said, "It was." She said, "I am tired now." I said, "Rest, Mami." She closed her eyes on the couch for twenty minutes. I sat with her. I watched her breathe. Wepa.

Every cookout I have ever hosted has had at least one person who does not eat pork — and I refuse to let that person eat only rice and tostones and call it a meal. This mushroom steak is what I reach for in those moments: it is savory and substantial, it takes the same bold seasoning that makes pernil sing, and it holds its own on a plate next to anything. I have made it for Linda more than once. She never complains about arriving unannounced when I have this waiting.

Mushroom Steak

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 4 large portobello mushroom caps, stems removed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

1. Make the marinade. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, smoked paprika, thyme, black pepper, and salt until fully combined.
2. Marinate the mushrooms. Place the portobello caps gill-side up in a shallow dish or zip-top bag. Pour the marinade over them, turning to coat all sides. Let marinate for at least 15 minutes at room temperature, or up to 2 hours in the refrigerator.
3. Heat the pan. Set a large cast-iron skillet or heavy pan over medium-high heat. Allow it to get fully hot before adding anything — a properly hot pan gives you the sear that makes this feel like a real steak.
4. Sear the mushrooms. Add the butter to the pan and let it melt and foam. Place the mushroom caps gill-side down. Press them gently with a spatula. Sear undisturbed for 5 to 6 minutes, until deeply browned on the first side.
5. Flip and finish. Flip each cap and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes on the second side. Spoon any pan juices over the tops as they finish cooking. The mushrooms should be tender throughout and caramelized on both sides.
6. Rest and serve. Remove from heat and let rest for 2 minutes. Slice against the grain if desired, or serve whole. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 138 | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Carbs: 8g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 420mg