Cafe Flora recipe: Salad of Grilled Portobello Carpaccio with Arugula

Serves 4 as side salad

Dijon Caper Sauce:

- 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed, drained and chopped

- 1 clove garlic, minced

- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

- 1 tablespoon olive oil

Salad:

- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

- ¼ cup olive oil, divided

- 2 portobello mushrooms (about 1 pound)

- Salt and freshly ground black pepper

- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

- 6 cups arugula, stems removed

- 1/3 pound block Parmigiano-Reggiano

1. To prepare sauce: Combine capers, garlic, mustard, lemon juice and olive oil. Set aside.

2. To prepare salad: In a small bowl whisk together balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil and garlic. Remove stems and gills from mushrooms. Rub balsamic mix over both sides of mushrooms, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and set aside 15 minutes.

3. Prepare a charcoal or gas grill. When hot, put mushrooms caps on grill and cook 5 to 7 minutes on each side. (The mushrooms can also be cooked under a hot broiler 5 minutes per side, or on a stove-top grill pan 4 minutes per side.) Remove from grill, and when cool enough to handle, cut diagonally into very thin slices, keeping the slices together in the shape of the mushroom cap. Set aside.

4. In a large bowl, whisk together remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Toss with arugula until well coated. Mound in the center of 4 chilled plates. Slightly fan the slices of half of a mushroom cap and place on top of dressed arugula. Drizzle with a little of the caper sauce.

5. Using a vegetable peeler, shave about 20 thin slices from the block of cheese. Scatter over salads. Grind a little fresh pepper over all and serve.

From "Cafe Flora Cookbook" by Catherine Geier and Carol Brown