Mushroom Grilled Cheese

Mushroom Grilled Cheese

Mushrooms on toast is my “go to” quick dinner – with a bowl of soup or a salad, it’s the best kind of “fast food” and it’s a great way to use up those last few mushrooms. Mushrooms sautéed in butter – what could be better? Well, actually, how about adding a bit of cheese?

Recipe Courtesy of: Mardi Michels from eat. live. travel. write 

Serves: 1

Ingredients

3 tablespoon salted butter, divided
6 cremini mushrooms (approx. 75g), thinly sliced
A sprig of fresh thyme
Flaky sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 slices country-style (sourdough is good here) bread
60g cheddar cheese, thinly sliced

Method

  1. Heat the butter in a small pan over medium-high heat.
  2. When the butter is melted, add the mushrooms and thyme and cook until the mushrooms have released their juices and are golden brown. Season with a pinch of salt and a good grind of black pepper.
  3. Use the remaining butter to butter the slices of bread and heat a heavy oven-ready skillet (preferably one with a ribbed base to make “griddle marks” on the bread) over medium-high heat.
  4. Heat the broiler to 375˚F. and place the slices of bread butter-side down and cook until they are just starting to turn golden.
  5. Place half cheese slices on one slice of bread and top with the mushrooms.
  6. Place the rest of the cheese on the other slice of bread and cook for a minute or so until the buttered side of the bread is golden brown.
  7. Place the skillet under the broiler until the cheese is completely melted.
  8. Remove from the oven and top the mushroom toast with the other slice of bread.
  9. Slice and serve.
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Caprese Baked Egg Cups

Caprese Baked Egg Cups

Recipe courtesy of Taylor from The Girl on Bloor

Prep Time: 10 mins | Cook Time: 12 mins | Serves: 12 egg cups

Ingredients

Butter, for greasing
12 eggs
½ cup button mushrooms, sliced
½ cup cherry tomatoes, sliced into quarters
½ cup bocconcini cheese pearls, cut in half
½ cup fresh chopped basil
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Prepare veggies, and grease muffin tins with a generous amount of butter so that egg cups don’t stick. Crack eggs into each muffin cup.
3. Divide veggies evenly among muffin tins, then season with salt and pepper.
4. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes, until yolks are just set. Cook closer to the 15 minute mark if you like your yolks semi-hard.
5. Serve and enjoy! To re-heat, microwave two at a time for 1 minute.

Making mornings simpler is music to our ears! A big thanks, as always, to Taylor for sharing such mouthwatering recipe ideas with us.

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Mushroom Breakfast Sandwich

Mushroom Omelette Breakfast Sandwich

This recipe serves four, but I think I will make this the next time I have company for brunch and just serve the sandwiches cut in half. One whole sandwich would be too much if you are having loads of other things, but half would be just right. You will be looking for different times to serve these just like I am. Enjoy!

Prep Time: 10 mins. | Cook Time: 20 mins. | Serves: 4

Recipe courtesy of Christina from Strawberries For Supper

Ingredients

3 tbsp butter
200 grams cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
6 eggs
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp fresh thyme (optional)
¼ tsp salt
pinch of pepper
150 grams sliced Black Forest deli ham
4 slices Havarti or Swiss cheese
4 croissants

Method

1. In a large non-stick oven safe frying pan, melt the butter over a medium heat and add all the sliced mushrooms with a pinch of salt and pepper. Sautee the mushrooms for 10 minutes, or until the mushrooms are browned.
2. While the mushrooms cook, slice the croissants lengthwise to create a croissant bun and place them on a foil or parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
3. Add all the eggs to a bowl and lightly beat them with a fork. Add the milk, fresh thyme, and salt and pepper.
4. When the mushrooms are browned, make sure they are spread evenly on the pan and pour in the egg mixture. With a spatula, move the egg around to create ripples and to help the egg cook faster by moving cooked egg aside so the runny egg can fill in the space.
5. When all the egg is just about cooked, you can finish it off by putting the pan under the broiler for 30-40 seconds. Keep it there longer if you want the top of the eggs to brown but keep a very close eye on it.
6. Transfer the omelette to a cutting board and slice it into four portions. Put one portion on each of the croissants. Top the sandwiches with ham and one slice of Havarti cheese.
7. To serve right away, put the sandwiches in 375 F oven for 5-7 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the ham is warmed through. If you want to heat them through later then wrap them individually in foil and keep in the fridge until needed. You can keep them safely for 1-2 days in the fridge.

This comforting breakfast-style meal is simple enough for weeknight supper, but also decadent enough for Sunday Brunch with friends! As always, a big thanks to Christina for sharing her creativity and mouthwatering meal inspiration!

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Mushroom Pakoras with sauce

Mushroom Pakoras with Mint-Cilantro Dip

This recipe is a bit of a globe trotter. The chickpea batter is inspired by Indian pakoras, yet the mushroom pieces emerge from the oil lightly coated, like Japanese tempura. With its mix of mint, cilantro and lime, the sauce could be Mexican. The mushrooms? Grown right here in Canada. Given the diversity of flavours and ingredients, I’m tagging this an international dish.

While you don’t need a passport to make these, if you’re new to deep frying, you might want to familiarize yourself with the territory before forging ahead.

  1. Small pieces deep fry more quickly and evenly than larger pieces. If your mushrooms are tiny, you can deep-fry them whole, but with standard-sized mushrooms, quartered works best in this recipe.
  2. Use a light, neutral oil with a relatively high smoke point. Canola, peanut, safflower, and sunflower oils are good choices.
  3. Make sure your saucepan has high sides and a heavy bottom for even heat distribution.
  4. Don’t fill the pot with oil more than half way. This prevents splashing and wastes less oil.
  5. Oil heat is crucial to a crisp batter. You’re aiming for 375°F. I use a candy thermometer to monitor the oil, but a simple drop of batter will do the trick. Simply drop a bit of batter into the oil. If it bubbles and rises to the surface, the oil is hot enough. If it burns, it’s too hot. If it sinks, it’s not hot enough.
  6. The oil temperature will drop when you add the pakoras. Make sure it returns to temperature between batches.
  7. Don’t overcrowd the pakoras. They need space to cook evenly. Frying fewer pieces will also help maintain a steady oil temperature between batches.

Mushrooms are an ideal ingredient to start your deep-frying ventures. Their dry exterior means they won’t splutter when they hit the oil. Because they cook quickly, these pakoras can be in and out of the oil in minutes.

Recipe courtesy of Charmian Christie of The Messy Baker.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cooking Time: 20 minutes | Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients

Mint-Cilantro Dip

3/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro

1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh mint

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 teaspoon honey

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

generous pinch fine sea salt

Mushroom Pakoras

3 cups vegetable oil, divided

8 to 10 white button mushrooms, about 2 inches wide

1 cup chickpea flour (also called gram flour or besan)

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 cup club soda

Method

Mint-Cilantro Dip

Place all the dip ingredients in a blender. Pulse until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Pour into a small bowl and set aside while you cook the pakoras.

Mushroom Pakoras

  1. Line a baking sheet with a few layers of paper towel. Set aside.
  2. Pour all the oil except 1 teaspoon into a medium, heavy bottomed saucepan and place over medium heat. Heat oil to 375°F while you prepare the pakoras.
  3. Wipe mushroom caps, remove stems and save for another recipe. Cut the cap into quarters. Set aside.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk chickpea flour, cumin seeds, salt, and cayenne to combine.  Add the crushed garlic and the reserved 1 teaspoon oil. Slowly whisk in the club soda. The batter should be smooth and thick like pancake batter. Add the mushroom pieces and toss to coat evenly.
  5. When the oil has reached 350ºF, use a fork to gently place 6 to 8 pakoras —  one at a time —  in the hot oil. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, turning once, until golden brown all over. Remove Pakoras with a slotted spoon and place on the paper towels to drain. Continue cooking the pakoras in batches making sure the oil returns to temperature each time.

Serve while still hot with the dipping sauce on the side.

This bite-size snack is perfect for any occasion, from a girls night in to a Super Bowl party. A big thank you goes out to Charmian Christie for sharing this mouthwatering, culinary treat!

 

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mushroom pappardelle

Mushroom Pappardelle with Gorgonzola Cream and Walnuts

Even those weary of blue cheese, will savour this creamy Gorgonzola pasta loaded with golden locally grown mushrooms, crisp sage, and toasted walnuts. Not for the faint of heart, this decadent dish is easy enough for a quick weekday dinner yet impressive enough for entertaining. Serve with a salad of bitter greens and lemon to cut the richness of the sauce.

Recipe courtesy of Kathy Jollimore from Wild Card Creative

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Serves: 4

Ingredients

½ lb./250 g. pappardelle
2 tbsp butter
24 sage leaves
1 lb./450 g mixed mushrooms (cinnamon cap, shitake, king oyster
2 tbsp white wine (optional)
1 cup heavy cream
4 oz./113 g. Gorgonzola Dolce, plus more to taste
¼ cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Method

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.
  2. Heat butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Fry half the sage leaves until crisp, about 1-2 minutes. Remove to a paper-towel lined plate.Repeat with remaining sage.
  3. Add the mushrooms to the skillet. Cook until golden brown. Remove and keep warm.
  4. Add the wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits.
  5. Cook until reduced by half. Add the cream and bring to a simmer. Cook until thickened.
  6. Whisk in the cheese, adding more to taste if desired.
  7. Add the pasta and mushrooms, tossing to coat the noodles. Season to taste with salt and pepper and garnish with sage leaves.
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