Portabella Sliders with Pesto and Garlic Aioli

For the Garlic Aioli
In a small bowl combine buttermilk, mayo, garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper to taste. Mix well, cover and store in the fridge until ready to use. This recipe makes more than enough and the more time the aioli is allowed in the fridge the better it tastes. I use it the next day on sandwiches or drizzled over steamed asparagus.

For the Mushrooms
Clean mushrooms and remove the stems, keeping the mushrooms otherwise whole. Drizzle both sides of each mushroom with olive oil (or you can use olive oil flavored cooking spray) and season with sea salt and pepper. In a skillet, over medium to medium-high heat place the mushrooms top-side down and allow to cook for about 3-4 minutes or until you notice some of the juices just starting to release, the tops should be just slightly brown. Flip the mushrooms so they are under-side down and cook for another 3-4 minutes. While the mushrooms cook slice the cheese to roughly the size that they will fit inside the hole that the mushroom stem left on the underside of the mushroom. Slice the red pepper to about half the size of the cheese slices. Flip the mushrooms back over onto their tops and in the hole left by the stem place a piece of cheese and a piece of roasted red pepper. Cover and allow them to cook for another minute or so, until the cheese is melted.

For the Bread:
Cut each slice of bread in half, or so that it is just larger than the size of your mushrooms. Spread half the slices with the Garlic Aioli and the other half with Pesto.

When the cheese inside the mushrooms is melted place one mushroom between a slice of the Garlic Aioli bread and the Pesto bread. This can be served as and appetizer, or several per person for a main dish. Enjoy!