Grilled Mushroom Salad with Arugula

If you love mushrooms this is an incredible salad!  I found it in Gourmet Magazine and been making it for years and to raved reviews.  It may look like a lot of mushrooms when you're putting the salad together, but it allows everyone to have a generous portion.

Serves 8

1/2 cup Champagne vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots (4 small)
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound whole fresh portabella mushrooms, stems discarded
1/2 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded
1/2 pound fresh cremini mushrooms, trimmed
3/4 pound fresh chanterelle mushrooms, trimmed
1/2 pound baby arugula, or regular arugula torn into bite-size pieces (16 cups)
2/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano shavings (made with a vegetable peeler from a 2-oz piece)


Whisk together vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and shallots in a large bowl. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking constantly until combined. Reserve half of vinaigrette in another large bowl and add mushrooms to remaining vinaigrette. Toss to coat and marinate 5 minutes.
Transfer mushrooms to another bowl with a slotted spoon, discarding marinade.
Heat lightly oiled grill pan over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then grill mushrooms in 3 batches, turning frequently, until golden brown, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer as grilled to a cutting board and cool to room temperature.
Cut portabellas into 1/2-inch-wide wedges, then halve shiitake and cremini mushrooms and cut chanterelles (if large) lengthwise into 1/2-inch pieces.
Transfer mushrooms to reserved vinaigrette, tossing to coat, then add arugula, cheese, and salt and pepper to taste and toss again. Serve and Enjoy!


· Mushrooms (marinated but without additional vinaigrette) can be grilled and cut 4 hours ahead and cooled, uncovered, then kept, loosely covered, at room temperature. Pour off any juices before adding to vinaigrette.
· Vinaigrette keeps, covered and chilled, 1 day.
·Cheese can be shaved 1 day ahead and chilled in a sealed plastic bag.