About the Recipe
Hello to all my fellow mushroom fans! This recipe is for you! Even you non-fungi fans might want to give this a try, it may just be the recipe to change your mind. Never say never I say!
This recipe came to be because, my brother and sister-in-law gifted my girls these absolutely amazing mushroom farms for Christmas this year. Basically it is a box with what looks like a block of dirt inside which are inoculated with mushroom mycelium. You spray it to keep it moist and within a few days you see the start to sprouting mushrooms. We had one box of pink oyster mushrooms and an other of blue oyster mushrooms. The kids had such a great time taking care and growing their mushrooms and I had a great time dreaming up what I was going to be doing with them once we could harvest them. The really great part about these little mushroom farms is that they do not need to be outdoors. So if you live in a wintery climate like I do, it is a real treat to be able to grow some fresh produce when it is -15C outside! Not only that, they are really pretty and are definitely conversation pieces, after all, how often do you see mushrooms being grown in someone's kitchen?
Now although I used oyster mushrooms and Oka cheese, which I know are two things that are not necessarily readily available everywhere, this recipe can be made with substitutions. I would suggest a meaty type of mushroom and a cheese with some flavor.
It is a pretty easy recipe to throw together and makes for a fantastic healthy lunch!
Bon appétit!
Ingredients
2-3 cups Oyster Mushrooms
1 Yellow Onion (finely chopped)
1 Garlic Clove (minced)
2 tablespoons Butter
1 tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Pinch of Chili Flakes (optional)
1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
Bunch of Fresh Parsley (chopped)
1/3 cup cubed Pancetta
Salt and Pepper to taste
4-6 slices of Oka Cheese (find substitutes in the blog below)
1 Baguette (toasted)
Preparation
First off, I want to say that you do not have to have oyster mushrooms for this recipe. I used them because that is what I had on hand but this recipe will work great with any kind of mushroom. I have used cremini mushrooms, chanterelles or portobello. Feel free to mix and match to your taste.
Start by preparing your mushrooms. Wipe them down with a dry cloth. Try not to wash or wet them too much as mushrooms really soak up the moisture and if too wet won't crisp up when sautéing. Cut them into bite sized chunks.
Mince your garlic and finely chop your onion.
Roughly chop your parsley leaves and stems.
In a pan, heat up your butter with a tablespoon on Olive Oil on medium-high heat. When the butter has melted, add your garlic and onion and sauté 2-3 minutes until starting to soften and become fragrant. Add in your mushrooms and sauté until wilted and golden brown (6-8 minutes). Add a pinch of chili flakes (this is optional, you can leave them out if you prefer to not have any spice).
Add in the parsley sautéing for another 1-2 minutes. Add in the apple cider vinegar giving it a good mix and cooking for another minute. Add Salt and pepper to taste.
Transfer the mushroom mixture to a bowl and use the same pan to cook your pancetta. Cook your pancetta until it is starting to crispen (think bacon). Add your mushrooms back to the pan with the pancetta and stir everything around and cook for another minute.
In the meantime, cut your baguette into 10-12cm long pieces and cut those down the center to create your open faced sandwich. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper of a silicone mat and place your baguette pieces cut side up onto the baking sheet. Put a couple of Oka cheese slices on top of the baguette and pop into the oven and broil for approximately 2 minutes or so, or until the cheese has melted and the sides of the baguette are starting to get a bit toasted (keep a good eye on them as broiling tends to go fast, you don't want it to burn)!
If you cannot find Oka, as I know it is not available everywhere outside of Quebec, you can replace it with Gouda, Raclette, or Gruyère cheese. I just prefer using a cheese with a bit of a flavor punch.
Once you've gotten the cheese all ooey-gooey you're ready to shovel on the mushrooms. I leave it up to you to choose how much to put. You can top off the entire piece of baguette or go one bite at a time.
Really hope you enjoy this meal as much as I did. Let me know!
