Sheet Pan Crispy Mushroom-Parmesan Sandwiches

I must confess that we’ve eaten these delicious sandwiches on a couple of occasions already. They are a fabulous variation of the more common vegetarian alternative “parm” sandwich, eggplant parmesan. Worth using the oven in the summer! 🙂

This recipe was adapted from Meatless Sheet Pan Suppers: 100 Surprising Vegetarian Meals Straight from the Oven by Raquel Pelzel. I served them with both challah and potato rolls, on different occasions. The original recipe recommends sub rolls. I modified the proportions, used part-skim mozzarella, and substituted fontina for the provolone cheese. Fabulous!

Yield: 4 sandwiches

• 8 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 tsp plus a pinch of kosher salt
• 3/4 cup grated low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 3/4 cup grated fontina or provolone cheese
• 6 T finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• 4 large or 6 medium portobello mushrooms, stemmed and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1/2 cup store-bought or homemade marinara sauce (I used Trader Joe’s Marinara Sauce with Barolo Wine), or more, as desired
• 4 rolls, such as challah, potato, or sub rolls

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 400 degrees, preferably on convection roast.
2. Combine the olive oil and garlic in a microwave safe bowl, and warm in the microwave at high power until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 to 45 seconds.
3. Pour 3 T garlic oil into a small bowl and add the panko bread crumbs and a pinch of kosher salt. Rub together with your fingers to combine and set aside, reserving the remaining garlic oil. (Add up to an additional tablespoon of garlic oil, as needed.)
4. In a separate bowl, combine the mozzarella, fontina (or provolone), and Parmigiano Reggiano cheeses.
5. Place the mushrooms in a medium-sized bowl and toss with 2 T garlic oil and the remaining 1 tsp kosher salt.
6. Transfer the mushrooms to a parchment paper-lined, rimmed sheet pan and roast until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Do not flip them. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate and set aside.
7. Line a second sheet pan with aluminum foil (or the same pan if it is cool enough to handle). Adjust the oven rack to the upper-middle position and preheat the broiler to high.
8. Open the rolls and lightly brush the interior of each with some of the remaining garlic oil.
9. Place the rolls, face up, on the prepared sheet pan and broil until the bread is golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Watch carefully! Remove the rolls from the oven, keeping the broiler on, and divide the tops of the rolls among 4 plates. Leave the bottom of the rolls on the sheet pan.
10. Arrange the mushrooms over the bottom halves of the rolls and top each with 2 (or more) T marinara, spreading it out a bit.
11. Divide the cheese over each mound of vegetables and return the sheet pan to the broiler. Broil until the cheese is melted, 1 to 3 minutes, watching carefully.
12. Sprinkle the reserved panko bread crumbs evenly over the cheese and return to the broiler until the crumbs are golden and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes.
13. Transfer each portion to a plate and top with reserved roll top. Serve hot.

Mushroom Bourguignon

It’s official… “bourguignon” is my new favorite word! I can’t stop saying it!! AMAZING. 🙂 I’m driving my family crazy…

This “meaty” vegetarian dish is hearty and rich with flavor. A wonderful twist on a classic French dish. I adapted the recipe from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook: Recipes and Wisdom from an Obsessive Home Cook by Deb Perelman. We ate it over fresh tagliatelle noodles, but it would be delicious with any other type of egg noodles such as pappardelle as well. An easy and elegant weeknight meal.

Yield: Serves 6 as a main course

• 3 T (45 ml) olive oil
• 3 T (45 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 3 pounds cremini mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, & cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 1/2 cups (172 g) pearl onions, peeled (thawed if frozen)
• 1 small carrot, finely diced
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 large shallot, finely diced
• 1 1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves or 3/4 tsp dried thyme leaves
• coarse salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 cups (352 ml) full-bodied red wine
• 2 1/2 T (52 g) tomato paste
• 3 cups (712 ml) beef, chicken, or vegetable stock
• 2 T plus 1 tsp (18 g) all-purpose flour
• egg noodles, for serving (I used fresh tagliatelle)
• chopped chives or parsley, for garnish, optional
• sour cream, for garnish, optional

1.  Heat 1 1/2 T olive oil and 1 1/2 T butter in a medium-sized Dutch oven or heavy saucepan over high heat.
2. Sear the mushrooms and thawed pearl onions until they begin to take on a little color- your mushrooms will make a delightful “squeak-squeak” as they’re pushed around the hot pan- but the mushrooms do not yet release any liquid, about 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Remove mushrooms and pearl onions from the pan and set aside.
4. Lower the flame to medium and add the second T of olive oil. Add the carrot, yellow onion, shallot, thyme, a few pinches of coarse salt, and several grinds of black pepper in the pan, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is lightly browned.
5. Add the garlic and cook for just 1 more minute. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Add the wine to the pot, scraping any stuck bits off the bottom, then turn the heat all the way up and reduce it by half, which will take about 4 to 5 minutes.
7. Stir in the tomato paste and the stock.
8. Add back the mushrooms and pearl onions with any juices that have collected; bring the mixture to a boil- then reduce the temperature so it simmers for 10 to 15 minutes, or until both the mushrooms and onions are very tender.
9. Combine the flour and the remaining butter with a fork; stir this into the stew.
10. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 more minutes. If the sauce is too thin, boil it down to reduce to a “coating” consistency. (I boiled mine down for 10 minutes!) Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.
11. When the desired consistency of the stew is achieved, cook the egg noodles according to the package directions in salted boiling water.
12. To serve, spoon the stew over a bowl of egg noodles, dollop with sour cream (we omitted this topping), if using, and sprinkle with optional chives or parsley.

Note: The stew reheats very well on the second and third days in a large saucepan over low heat.

One Year Ago:

• Spicy & Garlicky Fresh Tomato Sauce with Pappardelle

Two Years Ago:

• Pastitsio
• Spinach Gnocchi with Shaved Ricotta Salata

If you like this you may also like:

• Fresh & Wild Mushroom Stew
• Button Mushrooms a la Creme

Fresh & Wild Mushroom Stew

This is a delicious and intensely flavorful vegetarian stew- hearty when served over pasta or polenta as well. We ate it over whole wheat pappardelle but I think I would have preferred it over polenta. Next time! 🙂 This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by David Tanis. I used the leftover wild mushroom broth in a Broccoli Spinach Puree- yum.

I am bringing this earthy and elegant dish to share with my friends at Fiesta Friday #45 at the Novice Gardener. Enjoy!

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

For the Stew:

• 1 ½ pounds, 24 oz, cultivated brown mushrooms, like shiitake, cremini or portobello
• ½ pound pale wild mushrooms, like chanterelle (or use King trumpet or oyster)(I used shiitakes instead)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• Salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
• 1 teaspoon chopped sage or rosemary
• Pinch red pepper flakes or cayenne
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 3 small ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped or 20 grape tomatoes (not peeled)
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2 cups wild mushroom broth, heated, or use chicken broth, or more to adjust consistency (recipe follows)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
• pasta such as whole wheat pappardelle or polenta, for serving, optional

1. Clean mushrooms, keeping colors separate, and trim tough stems. (Save stems for stock.) Slice mushrooms about 1/8-inch thick.
2. In a wide skillet, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat. Add onion, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until onion has softened and browned, about 10 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. Add 1 more tablespoon oil and turn heat to high. Add brown mushrooms (I added all of my mushrooms because I used shiitakes instead of pale wild mushrooms.), season lightly and stir-fry until nicely colored, about 3 minutes.
4. Lower heat to medium. Add thyme, sage, red pepper and tomato paste. Add tomatoes, stir well, and cook for 1 minute. Season again with salt and pepper.
5. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon flour, stir to incorporate and cook for 1 minute more. Stir in reserved onions.
6. Add 1 cup mushroom broth and stir until thickened, about 1 minute. Gradually add 1 more cup broth and cook for 2 minutes. Sauce should have gravy-like consistency; thin with more broth if necessary. Adjust seasoning. (May be prepared to this point several hours ahead and reheated.)
7. If using pale wild mushrooms: Just before serving, put butter and 1 tablespoon olive in wide skillet over medium high heat. When butter begins to brown, add chanterelles, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for about 2 minutes, until cooked through and beginning to brown.
8. To finish the dish: Add garlic and parsley, stir to coat and cook 1 minute more. Add chanterelles, if using, to brown mushroom mixture and transfer to a warm serving bowl. Accompany with polenta or pasta if you wish.

For the Wild Mushroom Broth:

Yield: about 3 cups

• .88 oz mixed wild dried mushrooms or ¼ cup crumbled dry porcini (about 4 grams)
• 1 small onion or shallot, sliced
• 6 scallions, roughly chopped
• 1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
• 1 carrot, roughly chopped
• 1 bay leaf

1. Put all ingredients in a sauce pan. Cover with 4 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
2. Strain. Broth may be made in advance and will keep a week, refrigerated.

One Year Ago:

• Napa Cabbage Curry

Mushroom, Leek, & Wild Rice Soup

This is an earthy and elegant soup adapted from Martha Stewart Living. It uses a combination of assorted fresh mushrooms as well as dried mushrooms to give it a rich and complex flavor. I used fresh cremini, portobello, and shiitake mushrooms, but button or chanterelles could also be used. The bunch of beautiful leeks from my CSA share were also part of this lovely dish. I sautéed the leeks in red wine rather than sherry. We ate it with crusty sourdough bread and green salad.

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

• .25 oz dried porcini or dried portobello mushrooms (for 2 T powder- instructions below)
• 1 cup wild rice
• 1 tsp coarse salt, plus more for seasoning
• 2 T olive oil
• 2 1/2 pounds assorted mushrooms, sliced into bite-sized pieces (such as button, cremini, shiitake (stems removed), & chanterelle)
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 T unsalted butter
• 6 leeks (white and pale-green parts only), quartered and thinly sliced
• 1 cup sherry, Madeira, Port, or red wine
• 6 T light soy sauce
• 2 quarts homemade or low-sodium chicken stock
• 1/4 to 3/4 cup heavy cream or half & half
• 2 T finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish

1. In a small saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add salt and wild rice. Cover; reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until tender, 45 to 60 minutes. Drain; set aside.
2. Meanwhile, make the dried mushroom powder. In a spice mill or coffee grinder, pulse the dried mushrooms to a fine powder. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
3. In a large saucepan or dutch oven, heat half the oil over medium-high heat. Add half the mushrooms; season with salt and pepper. Cook until browned and tender, about 7 minutes; transfer to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining oil and mushrooms.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low. Melt butter; add leeks. Cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in 2 T of mushroom powder; cook 1 minute. Add sherry and soy sauce; cook 1 minute more.
5. Add stock to pot; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook 20 minutes. Stir in wild rice, cream (or half & half), and parsley; adjust seasoning, and serve. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

Cheesy Mushroom Crostini on Boston Lettuce

My CSA box is LOADED with salad greens in June. I wanted – and NEEDED- to make a dinner salad. This is a rich, main course salad adapted from foodtv.com, contributed by Stewart, Tabori, and Chang. It calls for my favorite types of lettuce, Boston or Butter lettuce, which are so tender and delicate. Camembert was not available (this dish is great with it), so I substituted Coulommiers, another creamy soft-ripened cheese with sweet cream butter & mushroom notes. I dressed it with a mustard vinaigrette but have made a truffle vinaigrette in the past- both options are described below. To warm up this dish for our cold and rainy weather I paired it with a cup of Egyptian Red Lentil Soup. Lovely.

Serves: 3-4 as a main course

For the truffle vinaigrette dressing:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or champagne vinegar
• 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon truffle oil (white or black)
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and black pepper

For the mustard vinaigrette dressing:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and black pepper

For the crostini:

• 1 regular sourdough baguette, about 3 inches in diameter, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (4 to 6 per person)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil for brushing the bread or an olive oil mister
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 4 portobello mushrooms (about 3/4 pound total), stems removed, caps sliced 1/4 inch thick, then cut crosswise into quarters
• 1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps sliced 1/4 inch thick, then cut crosswise into thirds
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3 ounces Camembert cheese, at room temperature (or use brie or another soft-ripened cheese such as Coulommiers)

For the salad:

• 1/2 large head of green Boston lettuce, or 1 head of butter lettuce, washed and torn into large pieces
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped (I use an egg slicer)
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish, optional

Make the dressing:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, oil(s), and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Make the crostini:

1. Preheat the broiler.
2. Using an olive oil mister, spray the cut sides of the baguette slices with olive oil and place under the broiler just until the bread is toasted on both sides, about 1-2 minutes per side. Set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and the butter over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and saute until they are tender and the juices, if any, have cooked away. If the mushrooms seem dry, add a few drops of chicken stock or water and continue to cook until they’re nice and tender and any remaining liquid has boiled away. (You want the mushrooms to be dry, almost crisp on the outside.) Add salt and a generous amount of pepper, and set aside.
4. Spread or spoon about 1 1/2 teaspoons of cheese on each slice of toast. Broil for approximately 1 minute, or until the cheese has melted (or maybe even disappeared).

Assemble:

1. Reheat the mushrooms if they have cooled, or, if you prefer, keep them at room temperature.
2. Toss the lettuce and eggs with the dressing. Distribute on individual salad plates. Place four to six crostini on each plate, and top each one with about 1 tablespoon of the mushrooms. Sprinkle with a little parsley, if desired, and serve.