After a few days of rain in the fall, then a few days of sun, the woods are filled with basket-carrying funghi hunters. The fresh Boletus edulis has a dense, meaty texture that has earned it the name “poor man’s steak.”–Pamela Sheldon Johns
LC Porcini or Bust Note
This may seem really discriminatory, but this grilled mushrooms recipe is superlative only when made with porcinis. Nothing against portobellos or shiitakes, it’s just that their type of earthiness is the wrong type of earthiness for this recipe. It’s sort of reassuring to know there’s a reason fresh porcinis are so darn pricy, and it’s that unparalleled flavor profile. So–and we say this only to save yourself disappointment–either pick up the real deal or do without.
Grilled Porcini Mushrooms Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh mint
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
- 1 pound porcini mushrooms (about 6 medium)
Directions
- 1. Light a medium fire in a charcoal grill.
- 2. In a small bowl, stir together the herbs, garlic, and 1/3 cup olive oil.
- 3. Clean the mushrooms with a damp cloth. Cut them into ½-inch-thick slices and brush them lightly with olive oil. Grill for 3 minutes on each side, or until lightly browned. Transfer to a serving platter and brush with the herb-oil mixture. Serve at once.
Hungry for more? Chow down on these:
- Roasted Portobellos, Polenta, Spinach from 101 Cookbooks
- Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms from Furey and the Feast
- Sautéed Bacon, Mushrooms, and Lentils from Leite's Culinaria
- Wild Mushrooms with Herbed Cheese from Leite's Culinaria
Grilled Porcini Mushrooms Recipe © 2011 Pamela Sheldon Johns. Photo © 2011 Andrea Wyner. All rights reserved.


[Dan Kraan] I splurged and purchased porcini mushrooms, and this recipe for them was great! Mine were on the small side; about 25 in a pound, so I grilled them whole. The full flavor of porcini mushrooms pretty much demands a somewhat robust dressing. The garlic and herb dressing is on the pungent side, so this offsets and complements the porcini mushrooms quite nicely. If using less pungent mushrooms, I feel their flavor will get a bit lost amongst the (raw) garlic and herbs. I also firmly believe that salt is requisite in most recipes, and love a fresh grind or two of black pepper, as well. After trying the mushrooms prepared as laid out, I found this recipe really comes to life with the addition of salt — I used a lightly smoked sea salt, along with some freshly ground black pepper.
It is unfortunate that porcini are so expensive. I paid $19 for a pound of smaller ones, but they’re very rich, full-flavored mushrooms, and I feel that even shiitake and portobello cannot live up to the porcini’s reputation. I know the price of porcini is rather high, but this recipe is worth it.
[Bette Fraser] A delicious way to enjoy fresh mushrooms in season. I think so many people forget about mint when using fresh herbs, and I was glad to see that it was included in this recipe. While the recipe suggests that the mushrooms are cut into slices prior to grilling, they can easily be grilled whole. Just watch your fire!
[Linda B.] This simple recipe turned out to be quite delicious. It just needs the addition of a pinch or two of salt and some pepper. I used portobellos instead of porcinis, and they were very good. I even chopped up the leftovers and tossed it with pasta. I’ll be making this again soon.