Crispy Portobello Mushroom Fries

For the fries:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. Spray it with nonstick spray.

Add both bread crumbs, flour, salt, pepper and paprika to a bowl and mix. In a smaller bowl, lightly beat the egg whites. Dip each mushroom slice in the egg white and then coat in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing to adhere. Lay on the wire rack and repeat with the other slices. Spray each slice with a spritz of olive oil (spray it, don’t drizzle) before putting it in the oven. Bake for 7 minutes, then flip and spray the other side with olive oil. Bake for 7 more minutes.

While the mushrooms are cooking, heat the vinegar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Allow it to come to a simmer then reduce to low heat, cooking until syrupy and thick, about 5–7 minutes. Let sit at room temperature to thicken a bit more.

Drizzle the balsamic reduction over the mushrooms and serve with the cheese dipping sauce.

Note: I find that the combination of bread crumbs (panko and regular) adheres better than just plain panko. I also use egg whites only to prevent the “eggy” taste, but feel free to use a whole egg if you’d like.

For the cheese sauce:
In a small sauce pan over medium heat, add butter. One it is sizzling, add flour and whisk to form a roux. Let cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add milk, reduce heat to low and stir; it should thicken within a minute. Add in cheeses, paprika and garlic and stir to combine. Stir until smooth. Turn off heat and pour into a bowl for dipping.