Dutch's Portobello Mushroom Burger

The '50s and '60s were the golden era of TV Westerns, the glorious days of "The Lone Ranger," "Rawhide," "Bonanza" and many more.

I, like a gazillion other kids, dreamed of being a cowgirl, or cowboy, whatever. If I could gallop on a horse over the plains, sleep under the stars and eat campfire grub from a metal plate, ah, heaven.

Even now, cowboy things catch my eye. So it was with "Cooking the Cowboy Way: Recipes Inspired by Campfires, Chuck Wagons and Ranch Kitchens" (Andrews McNeel, $29.99). It arrived among the annual flood of fall cookbooks.

It's authored by Grady Spears, a Texas restaurateur and cowboy-turned-chef who also has done menus for the Bush family at the Texas Governor's Mansion. The book is a fetching one, with beautiful photographs of the food as well Western scenes throughout.

Hop Sing wouldn't have served this to the Cartwrights, but it has turned out to be a surprise hit at Spears' Fort Worth restaurant, Dutch's. "The herbed mayo really adds to the overall flavor," Spears says.

Giddyup!

Dutch's Portobello Mushroom Burger

Serves 4

Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

4 portobello mushrooms, cleaned and stems removed

For herbed mayonnaise:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary

1 roasted garlic clove, minced

For burgers:

Kosher salt

4 hamburger buns, toasted

2 cups field greens, or 1 large bunch arugula

8 thin slices tomato

4 thin slices red onion

4 slices Swiss cheese

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar and mustard. Place the mushrooms in the marinade and let sit for at least 1 hour.

While the mushrooms are marinating, make the mayo, combining all the ingredients in a bowl; cover and refrigerate.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees or prepare a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat. Remove the marinated mushrooms from the liquid and season with kosher salt. Discard the marinade. On the grill, cook the mushrooms over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes on each side; in the oven, roast them, top side down, for 15-20 minutes, or until the mushrooms are soft. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Spread the herbed mayo evenly on each half of the buns. Place each mushroom on a bottom bun and put a quarter of the greens atop each warm mushroom. Top with 2 slices tomato and a slice each of onion and cheese. Serve warm.

Teresa Taylor is the food editor. Reach her at food@postandcourier.com or 937-4886.