Emeril's Portobello "Burgers" With Ricotta, Arugula And Truffle Oil On Brioche

A Great Vegetarian Option

From the kitchen of Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients

For the burgers:

2 roasted bell peppers, recipe follows, or 1 cup jarred

1 cup thinly sliced red onion

1 pound leeks, tops and roots removed, cleaned, and thinly sliced

½ cup thinly sliced shallots

2 sprigs thyme

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

¾ teaspoon salt, plus more as needed

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed

1½ pounds portabello mushroom caps, trimmed

1 cup ricotta, drained

¼ cup roasted garlic, recipe follows

4 brioche buns, halved

2 cups arugula, cleaned

1 cup alfalfa or radish sprouts

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

¼ cup truffle oil or very good quality extra virgin olive oil

Tomato slices

Avocado slices

For the roasted garlic:

2 heads of garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil

For the roasted peppers:

2 red, yellow, or orange bell peppers

1 tablespoon olive oil

Cooking Directions

For the burger:

Preheat the oven to 400° F.

Combine the red onion, leek, shallots, and thyme sprigs in a bowl. Season with 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and toss with ¼ cup of the extra virgin olive oil. Transfer to a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes, stirring midway through, until soft. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Discard the thyme sprigs.

Season the mushrooms with 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Toss them with ¼ cup of the extra virgin olive oil, transfer to a baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Combine the ricotta with the cooled onions, the roasted garlic, and ½ teaspoon salt.

Hollow out some of the top of the brioche buns. Set all the buns on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and drizzle 1 teaspoon of truffle oil over each half.

Gently toss the arugula and sprouts together with the lemon juice and the remaining 4 teaspoons truffle oil in a bowl. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

To assemble:

Spread about two tablespoons of the ricotta mixture over both halves of each buns Layer the bottom buns with the mushrooms, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Add roasted pepper pieces, tomato slices, and avocado slices, continuing to lightly season between each layer. Divide the arugula salad among the sandwiches and place the remaining buns on top.

For the roasted garlic:

Preheat the oven to 400° F.

Cut a piece of aluminum foil to measure approximately 8 x 8 inches. Slice the top quarter of each head of garlic and place the garlic cut side down on the foil. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over the garlic. Fold the foil together around the garlic to form a pouch. Place the pouch on a baking sheet, and roast the garlic in the oven until the cloves are soft and golden brown, about 40 minutes. Remove the pouch from the oven and let it sit until the garlic is cool enough to handle. Then squeeze each head of garlic, gently pressing it with your fingers to expel the soft cloves into a bowl. Stir the garlic with a rubber spatula and blend it thoroughly, if desired. Use as needed, or store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

For the bell peppers:

Preheat the oven to 400° F.

Brush the bell peppers all over with the olive oil and place them on a rimmed baking sheet and roast in the oven, turning the peppers onto another side about half-way through, until blackened on a couple of sides, about 20 minutes. Remove the peppers from the oven, place in a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. After about 5 minutes the skin will have loosened. Remove the plastic wrap and when the peppers are cool enough to handle, slide off the skins, and discard along with the stem and seeds. The peppers should separate into nice wide sections.

This recipe was styled by chef Karen Pickus for Good Morning America.