As soon as I walked up to the Flying Saucer Farm stand this week, I knew what I was going to use Clint’s amazing LION’S MANE MUSHROOMS for this week’s burger.
Lion’s Mane Mushrooms are literal brain food ðŸ§
These mushrooms have compounds that stimulate the growth of brain cells. Consumption has been known to protect against the development of Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Additionally, the mushroom’s antioxidant levels are beneficial for anxiety, depression, nervous system injuries, diabetes, and general inflammation!
i wanted to highlight the mushroom’s natural flavors.
So I sliced the mushroom into 1/2″ steaks and started with a sear on medium heat in a dry pan.
After browning on both sides, I added olive oil to the pan. I seasoned with black garlic salt, black pepper, and thyme.
The black garlic salt added an extra level of umami to the already flavorful mushroom. Thyme is an absolute classic with mushrooms of any kind!
I was a bit surprised at how much the mushroom steaks shrunk while cooking. I thought a half pound mushroom would be enough for two burgers, but after cooking, it was only enough for one. Keep this in mind when buying at the market!
A few elements are needed for a good caramelized onion
First, it is important to get nice, even onion moons. Cut in half on the pole of the onion, cut off the top and bottom of each half, and take your time to get even slices. The more even surface area will help the onion caramelize faster.
Secondly, it is important to take your time to develop the sweet flavors. The caramelization process takes at least 30 minutes if not more. Add a bit of water as the pan starts to stick, and stir every few minutes.
I added a touch of balsamic vinegar right before removing from the pan. This added an extra bit of natural sweetness that pairs really well with any mushroom.
Sometimes, a simple burger is best.
I built this burger with a toasted bun, caramelized onions, seared mushroom, and vegan smoked gouda.
I made some spicy Tabasco vegan mayo that I thought about putting on the top bun, but I decided to keep it on the side to eat with sweet potato fries. It was nice to dip the sandwich in the spicy mayo every once in a while, but the mushroom and onion flavors were bold and delicious as is!
Simple, sensational, plant-based bbq is easy!
Check out the video and recipe for more tips!
Lions Mane Mushroom Burger
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet
Ingredients
Caramelized Onion
- 2 Vidalia onions
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil unrefined
- 1/2 tbsp unrefined salt
- 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Lions Mane Mushroom
- 1 lb Lions mane mushroom
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil unrefined
- 1 tsp black garlic salt or unrefined salt
- 1/2 tbsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tbsp black pepper
- 2 burger buns
- 2 slices vegan smoked gouda
Instructions
Caramelized Onions
- Slice onions into slices:Cut onion in half on its pole. Cut off the bottom and peel off the outer layer.Cut off the top of each half, and cut thin slices.
Lions Mane Mushroom
- Heat cast iron over medium heat. Add olive oil and onion slices. Add salt.Stir every 2-3 minutes. Add a splash of water if onion starts to stick to the pan.Cook for about 25-35 minutes. Right before removing from the pan, add the balsamic vinegar and quickly stir.
- Clean the skillet, and re-heat to medium heat. Slice the mushroom into 1/2" steaks.Add steaks to the dry pan. Cook until lightly brown, for about 5 minutes on each side.
- Add olive oil and coat each steak. Add salt, pepper, and thyme.Cook for another 3-4 minutes on each side until a beautiful golden-brown flavor develops.Remove from pan.
Assemble Burger
- Toast burger bun using residual heat from cooking the mushrooms.
- Add caramelized onions to bottom bun.Place cooked mushroom steaks on top.Add a piece of vegan smoked gouda and top bun.
- Enjoy it!!!
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