Let’s Do Some Shrooms

Posted by Michael on Jul 3, 2011 in Recipes | 2 comments

A couple days ago, I had a late breakfast. Shocking? Yes, it was for me too.

The consequence was that I wanted a light lunch.  Thankfully, we had a bunch of white button mushrooms on hand, plus some fresh-baked bread that would do just fine.  I’m not looking for anything fancy here, I just want some flavour on a slice of bread.  No biggie.

The white button mushroom doesn’t get the cred it deserves in my opinion. People, and you know who you are, are all uppity-pants about chantrelles and truffles and crimini and portobellini and other ini wini mushrooms.  But there is plenty of awesome in a plain old white button.  It’s all in how that button is handled.

Mushrooms on toast is a simple preparation that gets the most out of any mushroom (so why not make it a cheap one, right?).  It’s about frying it brown then blasting it with butter and acid, namely some equally cheap balsamic vinegar. Slap that on some toast and shovel that into your face.

So, onto the mechanics of mushrooms.  Mushrooms have a lot of moisture in them.  Frying them is a bit of a trick – getting the heat high enough that they brown despite all that water in them, but not burn.  There’s a sweet spot there so you gotta know your gear.  Get your pan very hot.  Add in the oil.  If it appears to start to bubble and change charactaristics rapidly, such as begin to smoke – that’s good.   Be in control of what’s going on and you’ll be fine.  If you boil your mushrooms though, I’ll know.  I’ll just know.

Mushrooms on Toast That Serves One

10 white button mushrooms, sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt, a good pinch

Pepper, pinch that up, yo.

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1 big slice of my very own homemade bread, toasted

Heat a stainless steel fry pan over medium-high heat for several minutes (with a gas fire it will happen quicker).  Hover your hand a couple inches above the pan to make sure there’s some good heat happening.  Add the olive oil, wait 15 seconds, then add the slice mushrooms.  Spread them out and let them cook as they are for a good 40 seconds to a minute. You can season with salt and pepper at this point.  Toss them and check to see if you’re getting some colour on them.  Let them cook 30 seconds at a time before tossing for another two or three minutes.  By this time they should be aromatic and nicely browned and reduced in size.  Add the butter and toss, still over medium-high heat.  Then quickly add the balsamic vinegar and remove from heat. Toss well until the vinegar has reduced, adding back to the hot element if necessary to rapidly boil off the vinegar.  Toast your (my) bread and spoon the browned mushrooms overtop.  Slice and serve. Uppity pants.