Today’s post is all about simplicity, letting the ingredients shine without too much fuss. I picked up an assortment of mushrooms over the weekend, a medley of beautiful yellow and white oysters, maitakes, shiitakes, trumpets, creminis, and portabellos. I can’t think of a better way to enjoy mushrooms than simply prepared on the grill — tossed in a little olive oil, fresh herbs (such as rosemary or thyme), salt and pepper, and grilled to perfection. I especially love the smoky notes mushrooms pick up when prepared this way. And, of course, you get those meaty, umami flavors that will satisfy both your vegetarian and meat-loving friends/family alike.
I could probably just stop here, end of post. Finito. But, that would shortchange the versatile mushroom. Why not enjoy all those lovely mushrooms atop grilled toast (aka crostini) that has been rubbed with fresh garlic and topped with some smoked cheddar. Still simple and equally satisfying.
Oh, there’s more…the tomatoes, I almost forgot. I drizzled a little olive oil on top, salt and pepper, and a few sprigs of thyme, then in the oven for about an hour. The [whole] oven-roasted tomatoes were then piled on the crostini and topped with smoked cheddar that I melted under the broiler. Lastly, the crostini were garnished with fresh basil, a sprinkling of coarse sea salt, an anchovy or two (if you so desire), and finished with a generous drizzle of peppery extra virgin olive oil. Squisito (delicious in Italian)!
Mushroom and Smoked Cheddar Crostini
Assortment of mushrooms
Extra virgin olive oil
Fresh herbs, such as rosemary and/or thyme
Sliced whole-wheat country bread
Clove of garlic
Smoked cheese (such as cheddar, mozzarella), shredded
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Toss the mushrooms lightly in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and fresh chopped herbs. Grill. Set aside.
Brush the bread slices with olive oil (both sides). Grill until lightly browned and toasty. Repeat on the other side. Rub one side with fresh garlic. Set aside.
Top the bread with the grilled mushrooms. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and place under the broiler for a few minutes until the cheese melts. Finish with a sprinkling of coarse sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and a liberal drizzling of good quality extra virgin olive oil.
Tomato-Basil and Smoked Cheddar Crostini
Oven-roasted tomatoes
Extra virgin olive oil
Fresh thyme leaves
Sliced whole-wheat country bread
Clove of garlic
Smoked cheese (such as cheddar, mozzarella), shredded
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Anchovies (optional)
Fresh Basil, thinly sliced
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Drizzle olive oil over the tomatoes, sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, and a few sprigs of thyme. Roast about an hour, until the tomatoes just begin to shrivel. Set aside.
Brush the bread slices with olive oil (both sides). Grill until lightly browned and toasty. Repeat on the other side. Rub one side with fresh garlic. Set aside.
Top the bread with the oven-roasted tomatoes. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and place under the broiler for a few minutes until the cheese melts. Finish with a sprinkling of coarse sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and drizzling of good quality olive oil. Top with a few anchovies (optional) and fresh basil.
