Mushrooms Chargrilled Recipe

Clean and trim mushrooms

Wipe the mushrooms with a damp cloth or paper towel to remove dirt. Trim the stem ends so all mushrooms are similar size and pat dry. If mushrooms are large, halve them; medium mushrooms can be left whole.

Prepare Akawi

Slice the akawi cheese into 12 pieces approximately 1 cm thick (one slice per mushroom). Pat the slices dry with paper towel to remove excess moisture so they char cleanly.

In a bowl combine extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, thyme, smoked paprika, sea salt, black pepper and honey. Whisk until emulsified. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the marinade for drizzling later.

Place the prepared mushrooms in a shallow dish or zip-top bag. Pour the remaining marinade over the mushrooms and toss to coat evenly. Let marinate at room temperature for 15–20 minutes (or up to 30 minutes in the refrigerator).

Preheat a grill or cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat until very hot (about 5–8 minutes). Lightly oil the grill grates or pan.

Place mushrooms cap-side down on the hot grill. Cook 3–4 minutes without moving to develop good char. Flip and cook another 2–3 minutes until tender and nicely charred.

During the last 1–2 minutes of cooking, place an akawi cheese slice on top of each mushroom (or directly on the grill if preferred) and close the grill lid or cover the pan briefly so the cheese softens and gains light grill marks. Cheese should soften and warm but not completely melt away (about 1–2 minutes).

If using a grill that tends to stick, place cheese on the mushrooms after flipping so cheese doesn’t fall through grates.

Transfer the chargrilled mushrooms topped with akawi to a serving platter. Drizzle the reserved tablespoon of marinade and an additional tablespoon of extra olive oil over the mushrooms.

Sprinkle lemon zest and chopped parsley evenly over the mushrooms. Adjust seasoning with a pinch more sea salt or black pepper if needed.

Serve immediately while warm as an appetizer or side. These pair well with crusty bread, grilled flatbread, or a simple salad.