Mushroom Toasts

This appetizer is not only delicious but adaptable as well. Use your choice of mushrooms, creme fraiche or sour cream, shallots or red or white onion. Make the mushrooms a few hours ahead if you like but toast the bread just before serving. Adapted from Fine Cooking magazine.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1  lb mushroom (wild mushrooms, or a combination of cultivated mushrooms including portobellas, cremini, oyster, shi)
• 1  tablespoon butter
• 2  tablespoons olive oil (or more as needed)
•  kosher salt, to taste
•  fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 1⁄4 cup  finely chopped shallots or 1⁄4 cup red onions or 1⁄4 cup  white onion
• 2  teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped or 1⁄4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1⁄2 cup creme fraiche (I used recipe #171932) or 1⁄2 cup sour cream (I used Creme Fraiche)
• 1  tablespoon Italian parsley, chopped
• 12 -18  slices baguette, cut 1/2 inch on diagonal
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1⁄4 cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese, grated

Directions

1. Wipe any dirt from the mushrooms with a damp cloth or paper towel.
2. Cut off any tough stems; half smaller mushrooms and quarter larger ones to make approximate even sizes.
3. Heat butter and 1 Tbsp of the oil in a 10-12 inch deep saute pan over medium-high heat.
4. Add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, for 8-10 minutes, until any liquid has evaporated. If the mushrooms become too dry add a drizzle of oil.
5. Transfer mushrooms to a cutting board, let cool a few minutes, and chop coarsely.
6. Wipe out the pan and set over medium heat with 1 Tbsp olive oil.
7. Add shallots, thyme and a pinch of salt and stir for a minute or two until shallots are tender and slightly golden.
8. Return the mushrooms to the pan and stir in the creme fraiche to heat through without bringing to a simmer.
9. Remove from the heat and stir in parsley and more salt and black pepper to taste.
10. Note: If you are making the mushrooms in advance stir in only 1/4 cup of the creme fraiche now and add the other 1/4 cup when reheating later.
11. Just before serving position oven rack 6 inches below the broiler element and heat broiler.
12. Place baguette slices on a baking sheet and brush with olive oil; Broil for a minute or two to toast.
13. Spread warm mushroom mixture over toasts and sprinkle on the Parmigiano-Reggiano.
14. Note: Do not at any time overheat the mushroom mixture once the creme fraiche has been added or the cream will break.