Mushrooms on toast

Nothing tastes better to me than a sauté of garlicky mushrooms piled on good bread. Use as many different types of mushrooms as you can find and tear them up. The presentation looks great, but for a more sophisticated take use a puff pastry base. Replace the whipping cream with Greek yogurt, if desired, but do not bring to a boil.

Servings: 4

Ready Time: 35 minutes

Wine Pairings: Comfort is the cue here, and that means just about any hearty red wine you love, because most would suit the mushroom-topped toasts. Top choices include gutsy Côtes du Rhône and fuller-bodied merlot or cabernet sauvignon. If you’re on a tight budget to keep you off the post-holiday-spending fiscal cliff, try Italian Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, a steal at often less than $10.

Ingredients

4 slices pancetta

1 pound mushrooms such as shiitake, oyster and cremini

3 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

2 tablespoons chopped green onions

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon or 1 tsp dried

1/4 cup white wine

1/2 cup whipping cream

Salt and freshly ground pepper

4 slices sourdough bread, toasted

1 tbsp chopped chives

Method

Fry pancetta rounds in a frying pan over medium-high heat until golden and crispy, about 2 minutes per side. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.

Tear mushrooms into pieces; remove shiitake stems if using. Heat butter in a skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes or until juices have evaporated. Stir in garlic, green onions, mustard and tarragon and combine well. Add wine and cook for 1 minute. Add cream and reduce until mixture is creamy, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and pile on top of sourdough slices. Top with pancetta and chives. - Beppi Crosariol