Upon request.
Every year since 2006 my husband Jason and I have thrown a Christmas party. Our friend, Eric Wahl, has become a central part of the food preparation and service, setting up a second kitchen on our back deck to help get all the food out for our guests.
The first year we made these mushroom grilled cheese. The second year, when invitations went out, our friends started asking, “you are going to have those grilled cheese again, aren’t you?”
Several years ago we catered the wedding of our friends Charger and Scott. Mushroom grill cheese was on the menu for the cocktail hour. They asked for the recipe and that Christmas I typed it up for the first time. We’ve now included the recipe on Christmas cards, made a video of it, served it to 40 bears at the beach as a hangover cure, and continue, to this day, to serve it each year at our holiday party, upon our guests’ continued requests.
Mushroom Grilled Cheese
Makes 8 sandwiches or 32 pieces hors d'oeuvres
Earthy mushrooms and a blend of cheeses elevates this beloved comfort food into the party bite your guests will ask for again and again.
Ingredients:
10 tbs butter
1 shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chopped wild mushrooms like Maitake, Cremini and Oyster
1/2 cup Madeira or dry white wine
Nutmeg
2 tbs chopped thyme
2 tbs chopped parsley
1 cup grated Gruyere
1 cup grated Cheddar
1 cup grated Fontina
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
16 slices thin sandwich bread
White truffle oil
Directions:
Cook mushrooms: Melt 2 tbs butter in a 12” skillet over med heat. Add shallot and cook 5 min until tender. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds longer. Turn heat to med-high and add mushrooms. Cook until tender and most of the liquid has evaporated. Deglaze pan with 1/4 cup wine.
Make filling: Transfer mushrooms to food processor and roughly chop. Transfer to large bowl,season to taste with nutmeg, thyme, parsley, salt and pepper. Cool mushrooms to room temp and blend in cheese.
Assemble: Place 1/3 cup filling each on 8 slices of bread. Top with remaining 8 slices.
Cook sandwiches: Melt 2 tbs butter in a 12" skillet over med-low heat. Add 4 sandwiches and cook, browning one side. Add 2 more tbs butter, turn sandwiches and brown. Brush with white truffle oil in a cross pattern, then cut diagonally in quarters to serve.
