Chanterelle Mushroom & Goat Cheese Crostini

Thank you to Honest Cooking for sponsoring this post.  

I am thrilled to be partnering with Honest Cooking to promote the first ever North Nordic Food Festival being held the first week of October in New York City!  This 7-day extravaganza will feature the cuisines of Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland.  Some of the most famous Nordic chefs will be present to share their customs, techniques, and, of course, their food.  Yes, sampling is mandatory.  In celebration of this upcoming event, I’ve developed a Swedish-influenced treat with you:  Chanterelle Mushroom & Goat Cheese Crostini.

With harsh winters, out of necessity many home cooks in Sweden learn the art of preserving, whether it’s canning, smoking, fermenting, salting, or drying.  These arts in and of themselves produce their own magical taste qualities and are all integral to Swedish cuisine.  Even cheese-making in Sweden has traditionally been a way to preserve milk.  And during the more temperate months, Swedes take full advantage of nature’s edible offerings:  Harvesting wild herbs, picking berries (lingonberries, cloudberries, blueberries), and gathering and drying juniper berries to season their meats.  Foraging for wild mushrooms is another Swedish tradition, which leads us to today’s treat.

Chanterelle Mushrooms.  That’s right, it’s chanterelle season!   My husband Todd and I harvested these ourselves last week in our local forests.

Chanterelles are considered the most prized mushrooms in Sweden.  They are commonly sauteed and served as a side dish next to meat, or on bread as sandwiches.  Open-faced sandwiches to be exact.  Always open-faced in Sweden.  Sandwiches are a hallmark of Swedish cuisine and have been enjoyed since the 15th century when thick slabs of bread were used as plates.  You’ll find a variety of open-faced sandwiches in any Swedish restaurant and they’re eaten at home on an almost daily basis. For example, seafood sandwiches piled high with shrimp, creme fraiche, herbs, tomato, cucumber, boiled eggs…the combinations are as endless.

A chanterelle mushroom sandwich would commonly be served with rye bread.  We’re going to bump today’s hors d’oeuvres up a few notches on the “fancy scale” by replacing the rye bread with crispy crostini.  Another aspect of Swedish cuisine is that it has long welcomed and embraced other culinary influences.  So today we’re incorporating a touch of Italy.  And we’re going to pair it with goat cheese, another ingredient with a long history in Sweden.

These Chanterelle Crostini are irresistible.  Enjoy them as appetizers with nice meal or as classy hors d’oeuvres for your social gathering.  Either way, I promise you won’t be able to stop at one…or two.

Let’s get started!

Place a baguette on a cutting board.

Slicing the baguette.  Be sure to slice at a slight diagonal or the flavor of the crostini will be completely ruined.  No, not really.  But it does make it look a touch fancier.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Lay the slices on a baking sheet.

Drizzle with some good-quality extra virgin olive oil.

Bake for 13-15 minutes until crispy and very light golden brown.

Chanterelle mushrooms meet Crostini.  Yes, this is going to be good.  Very good.

Gently clean the chanterelles.

Chop the chanterelles, fresh parsley and thyme, and finely mince the garlic and shallots.

Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the shallots and garlic and saute until soft, about 4 minutes.

Add the chanterelle mushrooms, the salt, and some freshly ground black pepper.  If the mixture is a little too dry at first, don’t worry – the mushrooms will soon release liquid.

Saute the mushrooms until soft and the juices have evaporated, about 6-8 minutes.

Add the wine and quickly bring to a full boil for one minute.

Reduce the heat, add the herbs, and simmer for 2 minute or until the liquid has evaporated.

Spread the crostini with some spreadable goat cheese.  If you don’t like goat cheese, you can use a delicate spreadable cheese of your choice or some cream cheese.

Top with some of the mushroom mixture and add a little sprig of fresh thyme, if desired.

Serve to your friends and loved ones…or horde them to yourself (I wouldn’t blame you if you did)…and, most importantly, enjoy!

Interested in more Swedish food?

Try Swedish Kalops, a traditional and delicious beef stew:

Chanterelle Crostini with Goat Cheese - NORTH FESTIVAL

 

Print

: The Daring Gourmet, www.daringgourmet.com

Ingredients

• 1 crusty baguette, cut into ¼ inch slightly diagonal slices
• Olive oil for drizzling
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 large shallots, finely minced
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 10 oz chanterelle mushrooms, gently cleaned and chopped
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ⅓ cup dry white wine, such as vermouth
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 6 oz spreadable goat cheese (see note)

Instructions

1. To make the crostini:
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lay the baguette slices on a baking sheet and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until crispy and very lightly golden brown. Set aside until ready to use.
3. To make the chanterelle topping:
4. Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic and saute until tender, 3-4 minutes.
5. Add the mushrooms, salt and pepper, and saute until tender and the juices have evaporated, about 6-8 minutes.
6. Add the wine and quickly bring to a full boil for 1 minute. Reduce the heat, add the herbs, and simmer for 2 minutes.
7. To assemble the crostini:
8. Spread some goat cheese on each crostini and top with some of the mushroom mixture. Top with sprigs of fresh thyme, if desired.

Notes

If you don't like goat cheese, use a delicate spreadable cheese of your choice or some cream cheese.

3.2.2124