One of the BEST appetizers ever — Mushroom Sandwiches

   
     With an excess of mushrooms on hand, I dug out this old recipe that I hadn’t made for awhile. It’s a bit of work but since I opt for the Make Ahead section of the recipe, it means that I have Mushroom Sandwiches ready to heat and eat . . . at the drop of a hat, or at least within the 15 minutes required reheating time.
     But actually, I love to just eat the filling on crackers. Call it Pâté and forget the frying!
     I did update the recipe by adding fresh thyme leaves. Thyme pairs nicely with this filling and added yet another layer of flavor.

Mushroom Sandwiches About  40 sandwiches
For this recipe I always
pulse the mushrooms in the
work bowl of a food processor.
1 to 2 loaves thinly sliced sandwich bread, white or wheat
¼ cup (½ stick) butter
3 tablespoons finely minced onion
¾ lb. button mushrooms, finely chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco®
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or about 1 teaspoon dried)
Butter & olive oil for frying
  1. Cut each slice of bread with a biscuit cutter into two to four 1¾ ” rounds. Depending on the sandwich bread, you may or may not be able to get 4 rounds; often I can only get 2 to 3, hence in the ingredient list I’ve listed up to 2 loaves of bread. (For 40 sandwiches, you’ll need 80 rounds.)
  2. Heat butter and sauté onion; add mushrooms; sauté until all moisture is cooked out of mushrooms. Add flour; stir until thick. Add hot sauce, salt, pepper and half-and-half. Cook until thick; add thyme leaves.
    Sautéing the onions.
    Mushrooms have just been added.
    Mushrooms are beginning to cook down.
    After adding flour, the hot sauce, salt & pepper and half-and-half have been added.
    As mixture thickens, add the thyme leaves.
  3. Chill for several hours or overnight until mixture is easy to spread. 
  4. Spread 1 teaspoon mushroom mixture on each bread round. Top with another bread round to make a sandwich. Repeat procedure until 40 sandwiches are made.  
  5. Fry sandwiches in equal portion butter and olive oil until brown and crisp, about 1 min. for each side. Drain thoroughly. Keep warm, uncovered, in a 300° oven if serving right away.

    Fry the bottom of the sandwiches.
    Flip sandwiches and fry underneath side.
    I drain on a cooling rack that is perched on a large jelly-roll pan since I opt for the Make Ahead option.
Make Ahead Option: After frying, freeze the sandwiches. When ready to serve, remove from freezer, transfer to a sheet pan  and bake in a preheated 300° oven for about 15 minutes.
Reheating the frozen sandwiches.
I garnished the plates of sandwiches with fresh thyme.
Mushroom Pâté: Forget the frying and just make the mushroom spread (steps 2-3).

Recipe without photos . . . 
Mushroom Sandwiches About  40 sandwiches
1 to 2 loaves thinly sliced sandwich bread, white or wheat
¼ cup (½ stick) butter
3 tablespoons finely minced onion
¾ lb. button mushrooms, finely chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco®
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or about 1 teaspoon dried)
Butter & olive oil for frying
  1. Cut each slice of bread with a biscuit cutter into two to four 1¾ ” rounds. Depending on the sandwich bread, you may or may not be able to get 4 rounds; often I can only get 2 to 3, hence in the ingredient list I’ve listed up to 2 loaves of bread. (For 40 sandwiches, you’ll need 80 rounds.)
  2. Heat butter and sauté onion; add mushrooms; sauté until all moisture is cooked out of mushrooms. Add flour; stir until thick. Add hot sauce, salt, pepper and half-and-half. Cook until thick; add thyme leaves.
  3. Chill for several hours or overnight until mixture is easy to spread. 
  4. Spread 1 teaspoon mushroom mixture on each bread round. Top with another bread round to make a sandwich. Repeat procedure until 40 sandwiches are made.  
  5. Fry sandwiches in equal portion butter and olive oil until brown and crisp, about 1 min. for each side. Drain thoroughly. Keep warm, uncovered, in a 300° oven if serving right away.
Make Ahead Option: After frying, freeze the sandwiches. When ready to serve, remove from freezer, transfer to a sheet pan  and bake in a preheated 300° oven for about 15 minutes.

Mushroom Pâté: Forget the frying and just make the mushroom spread (steps 2-3).

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