Canadian-flavoured Mushroom Burgers

What a great way to get a little taste of home! I found this totally tempting recipe in the World Vegetarian Classics cookbook I have been obsessively flipping though this past week or so and just HAD to try it. 

Maple Mushroom Burgers! How amazing does that sound???  I managed to smuggle a gigantic bottle of maple syrup back from Canada in Novemeber and have been rationing it slowly ever since...and this recipe is totally deserving of some of that sweet amber goodness. 

I don't normally post recipes, mostly because I like to pull apart other recipes to create my own, but THIS is totally worthy of sharing and I URGE you to try them out!

Maple-roasted Mushroom Burgers
from World Vegetarian Classics
Serves 4

Ingredients

4 large flat field or portabello mushrooms
4 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 garlic cloves, sliced
2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
2 tsp cider vinegar
Large pinch of dried thyme  *** I totally forgot to add the thyme!
Salt and freshly ground pepper


Method
 PRE HEAT oven to 200 C/ 400 F

Wipe the mushroom clean and cut out the stem
Mix the oil and sliced garlic together in a small bowl or cup
Brush some of the oil over the mushroom caps
Lay the mushrooms gill side up on a baking sheet
Score the mushrooms by making a grid pattern with the tip of a sharp knife, being careful not to cut all the way through the cap.
 Drizzle maple syrup and vinegar over the mushrooms, then sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper
Lay the oily garlic slices over the mushrooms and drizzle with remaining oil
Roast in oven 15-20 mins until soft, juicy and sizzling.
Serve on toasted buns with trimmings of your choice (traditionally paired with Oka or Port Salut cheese)

The mushrooms were juicy and tasty, and the texture was pretty meat-like.  I served these fantastic burgers with some homemade chunky cut spicy fries