Arugula and Grilled Mushroom Salad – Recipe

Tender, smoky mushrooms pair beautifully with snappy arugula in this simply delicious salad, elegant enough to serve to guests at a formal dinner, but so fun and tasty it would also be right at home sitting on a picnic table by the grill. Either way, it’s sure to please.

And here’s a bonus: we’ve included a Lemon-Garlic Marinade recipe that can be used in dozens of ways.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound mixed button, shiitake, and oyster mushrooms
1 recipe Lemon-Garlic Marinade
1 bunch arugula, stemmed and leaves torn
Shaved Parmesan cheese

1. Prepare a medium-hot fire in the grill with a lightly-oiled vegetable grill rack in place.

2. Trim the mushrooms and discard any tough stems. Slice about ¼ inch thick. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the marinade and pour the rest over the mushrooms. Toss to coat well.

3. Lift the mushrooms out of the marinade with a slotted spoon. Grill the mushrooms, tossing frequently, until tender and grill-marked, about 8 minutes.

4. In a large bowl, toss the arugula with the remaining marinade.

5. To serve, arrange the arugula on salad plates and scatter the mushrooms on top. Top with a few curls of shaved Parmesan.

Lemon-Garlic Marinade
INGREDIENTS

3 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and black pepper

1. In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, combine the garlic, lemon zest, parsley, and sugar. Process until the parsley is very finely chopped and the mixture is fairly smooth. Add the lemon juice and mustard and process again. With the motor running, slowly pour in the olive oil and continue to process until the oil is emulsified. Stir in salt and pepper to taste.

2. Use immediately or store airtight in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Makes about ½ cup.