Chef Jonathan Till of Evening Star Café in Alexandria, Virgina, is a big fan of foraging, and one of his favorite treasures to seek out is mushrooms. One way to make use of them is with this quick and impressive appetizer, but Till also says you can easily turn this into a more substantial meal by tossing the mushroom mixture with pasta instead of spooning it over grilled bread. Not able to lay your hands on wild mushrooms? This recipe also works great with cultivated fungi.
Wild Mushroom Bruschetta
Courtesy of Chef Jonathan Till, Evening Star Café, Alexandria, VirginiaServes 4
Ingredients
8 ounces wild mushrooms, cleaned
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 shallot, julienned
1/2 cup white wine
8 ounces heavy cream
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 slices of thick-cut rustic bread, grilled
Pecorino cheese, for grating
Chopped chives, for garnish
Method
1. Sauté the mushrooms, shallot and garlic in a hot, dry pan until caramelized.
2. Deglaze the pan with the wine and let evaporate until the pan is almost dry.
3. Add the cream and thyme, and let the liquid reduce by half. Season with salt and pepper.
4. To serve, spoon the mushroom mixture over the grilled bread, grate some cheese over top and garnish with some chopped chives.
Photo courtesy of Neighborhood Restaurant Group.
