On this hot meatless Monday we are minimizing the heat in the kitchen with microwaved corn on the cob, a salad, and portobello mushrooms grilled outside.

Let’s start with the corn. It is so easy when you do it in the microwave. Just shuck the corn and put it in a zip-lock bag  (partially zipped) with a tablespoon of water, some butter or margarine, and zap it for one and a half minutes per cob. Done.

The Texas caviar is a rinsed can of black-eyed peas, small dice (about 1/2 cup each) of carrots, celery, red bell pepper, poblano pepper, scallions, tomatoes, corn, and jalapeño pepper (if you like it spicy), one minced garlic clove, five drops of hot sauce, chopped cilantro, and a lime vinaigrette. If I am making it for a crowd I add a rinsed can of black beans and more veg. Mix it all together and let it sit for a while before eating. Delicious and healthy to eat and beautiful to look at.

Texas caviar

John makes a marinade of 3 tablespoons of olive oil, one tablespoon of vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder, and salt.  He brushes the cap tops of the mushrooms with the marinade and puts the rest on the gill side. After one half hour in the marinade John cooks the mushrooms on the grill –  8 minutes cap side down, turn, 6 minutes gill side down. They look dark but are not burnt.

I have some toppings waiting in the kitchen – onions, spinach, tomato, and feta cheese (omit if making a vegan recipe.) Using the feta as a spread on the bottom roll keeps the roll from getting sogged out.

Summer on a plate!

Portobello mushroom burger, Texas caviar, corn on the cob