Somehow garlic came up this morning. That conversation veered off towards portobello mushrooms (stuffed with roasted garlic). Portobello mushrooms took a sudden turn towards paninis and eventually I ended up making this portobello and mozzarella sandwich. It was a windy road well worth traveling.

There are a number of steps in making this sandwich. You grill and marinate the mushrooms, make the aioli sauce, sautee the onions, and then put it all together. Here are the ingredients to start with.

Aioli Sauce
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Juice from half a small lemon
4 to 6 cloves smashed garlic
One cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

The emulsion will form more easily if the ingredients are closer to room temperature. Mix the egg yolk, mustard, lemon juice, and garlic. Slowly add the oil while mixing.

Marinated Portobello
1 to 1 1/2 large portobello mushrooms per sandwich
Olive oil
Rosemary
Worcestershire sauce
Balsamic vinegar
Salt
Pepper

Grill or sautee the portobellos until they are soft and have released their moisture. Mix the other ingredients to create the marinade and soak the portobellos in it for at least 20 minutes.

To Finish the Sandwich
Chibatta, focaccia, French rustic or other tasty bread
Fresh mozzarella, sliced
Onions, diced
Fresh basil
Arugula

Dice the onion and sautee in olive oil for about 7 minutes or until lightly browned. Cut the bread and toast. Heat the portobello. Put portobello on the bread. Cover in mozzarella slices, onions, basil, arugula, aioli sauce, and the top slice of bread.

WARNING!!! This is a slippery sandwich! All the moist mushrooms, gooey cheese, soft onions, and dripping sauce really get to sliding around on one another. Enjoy the madness.