Italian crumbed porcini steak sandwich (panino)

Serves: 4 Difficulty: Easy Time: Prep 15 min Cook 30 min

Ingredients

Marinated mushrooms

4 large field mushrooms 1 tsp each of lemon thyme, rosemary and Italian parsley 3 tblsp olive oil Zest of 1 lemon Caramelised onion 1 large onion, sliced thin (about 2 cups) 2 Tbsp olive oil 2 tblsp brown sugar 3 tblsp vinegar 4 sirloin steaks 120g each 50g dried porcini mushrooms soaked in hot water – enough to just cover the mushrooms 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and cracked black pepper 1 egg ½ cup Plain Flour ½ cup Bread crumbs mixed with 2 tblsp parmesan cheese Mixed leaves 8 slices of provolone cheese 4 x round burger

Method

1. For the field mushrooms, trim the stalk out of the mushrooms and set them aside, combine the chopped herbs with the olive oil, lemon zest and salt and pepper and drizzle this over the mushrooms. Marinate for 5-10 minutes, then take a heavy based fry pan and cook the mushrooms for 3-4 minutes on both sides, pressing down the mushrooms to slightly brown them. Set the cooked mushrooms aside.
2. For the beef patties: Blend the soaked mushrooms in a food processor with the liquid and the reserved mushroom stalks until combined. Add this to the beef mince along with salt and pepper, the Worcestershire sauce and combine with your hands until the mushrooms are mixed through. Form the mince into 4 even sized patties and place on a plate in the fridge.
3. Re heat the same pan you cooked the mushrooms in , add in the olive oil, then add in the thinly sliced onions and sauté until transparent. Scatter over the brown sugar and the vinegar and cook for 10 minutes on a low heat, stirring occasionally until the onions have caramelised. Set the onions aside. Rewash the pan and heat over high heat. Cook the burgers until the desired doneness, between 5-8 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the burgers and how hot your grill is. When the burgers are almost done, lay the Swiss cheese over them and allow the cheese to melt.
4. Toast the buns by brushing with a little oil, add a splash of your favourite mayonnaise, top with the mushroom, the greens, the burger patty and caramelised onions. Top with the burger lid and enjoy.