This dish makes a lovely, light supper dish served with a salad, or even a brunch dish. Although it may not leap off the page, it is very, very good & I cannot remember how many times I have made it. It’s a winner and it’s vegetarian too! I prefer using the cheese instead of the butter but both are delicious! Sometimes I rub the toast with a cut clove of garlic for a bit of zip. A glass of white wine would not go amiss either!
Makes 4 – 6 Servings
1 cup thick Bechamel sauce**
2 ¼ cups brown mushrooms, chopped coarsely
8 slices French or Italian bread (not baguettes or ficelles), toasted
3 – 5 Tbsp. soft butter (I sometimes like to use the cheese instead)
¼ cup each finely grated Gruyere & Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, instead of the butter
Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
Make The Bechamel Sauce:
3 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. flour
1 cup milk
Salt & freshly ground black or white pepper
In a large microwave safe bowl, melt the butter in the microware; add the flour; stir until blended. Whisk in the milk and microwave on medium-high heat until it boils & thickens.
Preheat the oven to 425F. Stir the chopped mushrooms into the béchamel sauce; season with salt & pepper to taste. Rub the toasted bread with garlic & place the toasted bread onto a large rimmed baking sheet. Divide the mushroom sauce between the slices. Sprinkle each with some of the Gruyere & Parmigiano Cheeses, or with the butter, if using. Place in the oven for approximately 15 minutes.
Serve piping hot.
Note: If you wanted to, you could soak a small amount of dried Porcini mushrooms and add to the bechamel with the brown mushrooms for a more intense mushroomy flavour.
**The Easter eggs in this photo are not your everyday chocolate eggs. They come from Beta 5 & they were amazing. One had dark chocolate covered malt balls inside the hollow chocolate egg & the other had dark chocolate covered raisins, rolled in cocoa! AWESOME!