Grilled steak with portobello mushrooms

Round out the nutritional profile of an iron-rich steak with vitamin-rich vegetables.

Preparation: 15 minutes 

Cooking: 15 minutes

Serves 4

• 10 ml (2 tsp) olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 thin slices red onion
• 4 large portobello mushrooms, stems removed
• Non-stick olive-oil cooking spray
• 2 boneless rib-eye steaks (350 g/12 oz each)
• 2 ml (1⁄2 tsp) salt
• 1 ml (1⁄4 tsp) black pepper
• 3 ripe tomatoes
• Fresh chives or parsley, finely chopped

1.  Heat grill or barbecue until hot. Heat oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté two minutes. Transfer oil and garlic to a large bowl.
2.  Coat onion slices and mushroom caps thoroughly with cooking spray.
3.  Grill onion and mushrooms just until browned, for about two minutes each side. Cut mushrooms into thick slices. Add mushrooms and onion to garlic oil. Toss to coat.
4. Cut steaks crosswise into two equal pieces. Pat meat dry with paper towel. Season with salt and pepper and coat lightly with cooking spray.
5. Grill steaks until seared and browned grill marks appear, for about four minutes. Turn steaks. Grill two to three minutes for medium-rare, or until cooked as liked.
6.  To serve, cut each tomato into four slices. Place three slices on top of each cooked steak. Top with the mushroom mixture. Sprinkle with chives or parsley.

Per serving: 305 calories, 23 g protein, 20 g fat (including 7 g saturated fat), 67 mg cholesterol, 8 g carbohydrates, 2 g fibre, 159 mg sodium.

• Cooked fresh mushrooms have almost three times the niacin and potassium, twice the iron and 15 times the riboflavin of a comparable amount of canned mushrooms.
• When purchasing mushrooms, choose the ones with smooth, dry skin and stems and no bruises. Buy only as many as you will use within a day or two.
• Thousands of varieties of fungi, including edible mushrooms, cover the planet. Many wild mushrooms are toxic, even deadly, so unless you're an expert, it's best to pick your exotic mushrooms at a supermarket or farmers' market.