Mushroom Tarts
A variety of mushrooms
Mushrooms have often been labelled as "meat for vegetarians". They do tend to have a "meaty" like texture and they are another versatile ingredient that can be enjoyed either hot or cold. When I was at the local markets the other day, I saw a whole variety on display. I picked up a some swiss browns, the good ol' button variety and the very large portabello. I couldn't decide how I wanted to "play" with them but in the end decided to use them in an open tart or pie...whatever you want to call it!
The recipe is really easy and its my fool proof way to even out the earthy flavour of the mushrooms. In a large pan I melted some good Danish "Lurpak" brand Butter with a splash of olive oil and fried off some eschallots till they became translucent. I added my wiped clean, sliced mushrooms (don't wash them...they'll absorb all the water!). I added some Maldon sea salt and freshly ground pepper. I poured in half a cup of leftover Sauvignon Blanc and let the mixture cook off till about half the liquid had evaporated. I then added some basil paste, which is basically some fresh basil leaves, garlic and olive oil whizzed in a food processor. The final touch was adding some fresh cream. I waited till the mixture became thick and the kitchen had become aromatic. I took it off the heat and let it cool slightly.
Mushroom Tarts with freshly chopped arugula as a garnish
For the tart cases I admit I cheated. Well sort of. I purchased some ready made short crust pastry because basically I find making pastries a tricky hit and miss kind of thing. Don't get me wrong, I've done it before but I always find an element missing or not quite right with the final result. I have these medium sized tart pans that I used in this instance. I cut some circles out of my ready pastry and lined them up in the tart pans. I covered the tart pans with baking paper and filled them with uncooked rice. I blind baked them for 12 mins and then removed the rice and put them back in the oven for another 8. (The oven was pre heated to 180 deg C). Once they were cooked I let them cool down before filling them with my mushroom mixture. The final touch was to add some chopped arugula as a garnish. The arugula was perfect as it provided that really nice pepperiness on top. I gotta say, so far I'm enjoying autumn!
Mushroom Crostini with Ricotta
Mushroom on Crostini with Ricotta
Continuing in my series of xmas party foods, I present another simple, delicate creation. Mushrooms on crostini with ricotta. Crostini are basically pieces of sliced bread that have been toasted. You can use a baguette to do this and each piece is perfect for your guests to pick up with their fingers. You can also get creative with the toppings. Just be mindful about flavours and not sticking too many items on the toasts.
I use sourdough for my crostini because I love the flavour of that bread. For the mushrooms I make a basil paste in the food processor by whizzing up a bunch of basil leaves with some olive oil and a little garlic. The mushrooms I use are a combination of swiss brown,button and shitake. I fry them in a mixture of olive oil and butter and add the basil paste at the end. The mushrooms take on a different character once they have been married with the basil paste. They get all glossy, shiny and sexy! And you should smell them! The basil does wonders. For the ricotta, I simply squeeze a little lemon juice with salt and pepper to taste. I give it a good stir and let it rest in the fridge.
It's great when you serve the crostini because you can make them earlier and then top them with your favourite ingredients at the last moment. Voila! Instant party food.
Heres the recipe and instructions. (play around with the amounts to your liking. You may want less basil and more mushrooms etc...)
CROSTINI
Slice up a sourdough baguette. Each slice should be about 2cm. Place them on an oven tray and spray them using an olive oil spray. Bake them in a 180 deg C preheated oven for about 5-7 mins. Once they have toasted take them out and let them cool. Once cooled you can store them in an airtight container for later use.
MUSHROOMS
Slice up one kilo of your favourite mushroom combination. Remember they do shrink when cooked so always buy more than you think. Fry them in a combination of olive oil and butter. At the last moment toss through some basil paste (basil, olive oil and garlic whizzed in a food processor). Once the mixture has cooled you can store it in a container in your fridge.
RICOTTA
Simply squeeze some lemon juice into some fresh ricotta. Add salt and pepper to taste.
When you're constructing these for your guests make sure you're organised. Have your oven heating at 180-200 deg C. Pop the desired amount of crostini in and warm them up a little. This will ensure you bring back some life into them! Zap (yes zap!) your mushroom mixture in a microwave oven for about 45 secs to 1 min. Once they have warmed through a little they're ready. Take your crostini and dollop some ricotta over it. Top with some mushrooms and serve immediately.
Delightful, delectable morsels...