Mushroom Appetizer
Several years ago, I was watching a chef show on television and the chef took mushrooms and made an appetizer from them. It was so simple, yet it sounded so good. I tried his recipe, but I have been sauteing mushrooms to accompany meats for a long time and thought my recipe had a little more flavor in it. The flavor combination of onion, garlic, and thyme in my recipe, I thought, tasted better. His big secret and what I feel made his recipe unbelievably delicious was his using sourdough bread.
Who would think that sourdough bread would make such a difference? I was not really a big fan of sourdough bread, but I am so glad I followed his advice. This combination, for whatever reason, is absolutely delicious!
This week, I picked up baby bella mushrooms at the grocery. The thought of this appetizer was in my mind for days. I am not sure what triggered this craving, but I gave in and bought a twenty-four-ounce container of the mushrooms and a loaf of sourdough bread.
The best-laid plans, you know. We had four filet mignon steaks to go with the appetizer. This appetizer goes wonderfully well with steak! So, don't you know we had more family than expected and served grilled hamburgers instead? Yes, the mushroom appetizer would go well with hamburger, but not hamburgers on buns, and I wanted this appetizer!
The next night we had the grandkids and wanted to share the morel mushrooms we found in Indiana. (We wanted to take them hunting for the mushrooms, but their parents have their own plans and there is the necessary school attendance this time of year.) They have never eaten them before. Another night down and no baby bella mushroom appetizer.
Dave went fishing early yesterday morning and he was planning to camp overnight. It seems the Maumee River and some Walleye were calling his name. This seems to happen more often since he has retired and not necessarily the Maumee, every lake or body of water within driving distance seems to call him. Walleye are not the only fish which call him either.
Those mushrooms were calling my name. Even though I was alone, I pulled them out of the fridge and prepared a third of them for the mushroom appetizer last night. Yes, I indulged alone. They were amazing! I made a meal of it!
Mushroom Appetizer
8 ounces baby Portabella mushrooms
2 Tblsp. butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 tsp. snipped fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
Sourdough Bread
Olive oil
In a large skillet, cook mushrooms, onion, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper in hot butter until tender.
Lightly drizzle olive oil on both sides of slices of sourdough bread and grill until light brown on both sides. They will have the nice grill marks if placed on your grill, but you can also lightly toast them in a pan on the stove.
Spoon cooked mushroom mixture on toasted or grilled sourdough bread and enjoy the best mushroom appetizer you have ever had!
