Portobello Fries

Preheat a large saucepan of oil (the oil should reach about 2 inches up the side of the pan) to 350 F using a frying or candy thermometer.

Meanwhile in a shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, pepper and cayenne. In another shallow bowl, mix together the panko bread crumbs and traditional bread crumbs. In another bowl beat your eggs.

Set up your shallow bowls in this order: flour, then eggs, then bread crumbs. Starting with one of the portobello slices, dip it in the flour (fully coating the mushroom slice), then dip it in the egg, then dip it in the bread crumbs.

Gently place it in the oil with a serrated spoon. Start with one slice, making sure the oil is the right temperature and it browns perfectly. If the oil doesn’t sizzle when you add the mushroom, wait another minute or two for the oil to get hotter. Fry for about 2-3 minutes and then flip it over with a pair of tongs and fry for another 2-3 minutes. Transfer your mushroom to a paper-towel lined plate to soak up any excess grease. Repeat these steps for the rest of the slices. After the first one, you can place 3-4 slices per batch into the oil at the same time. But make sure you do not overcrowd the pan. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve immediately with chipotle aioli.

For the chipotle aioli, combine all of the ingredients for the aioli in the bowl of your food processor. Pulse until completely smooth.

Serve with your favorite fried veggies. The aioli will keep refrigerated for 2-3 days in an airtight container. Enjoy!