This is easily one of my all-time favorite recipes. My close friend Sandy served this as an appetizer years ago and I’ve never forgotten how fabulous it was.
Unfortunately, Morels are only in season for a very short time each spring. This is when their flavor is at its best, so I recommend trying this recipe while they are in season at least once.
You can use dried morels for this recipe – just be sure to rinse them extremely well while rehydrating them to remove any gritty residue.
Ingredients
2 tsp butter and 2 T. butter (unsalted)
2 T. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 c. mushrooms (preferably morels!), cleaned and chopped
2 tsp fresh thyme
2 tsp fresh rosemary
1/4 cup cognac
4 oz. goat cheese, room temperature
your choice of fresh herbs (chives, rosemary or thyme)
4 T. whipping cream
4 slices crusty break, sliced 1/3″ thick
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°. In pan over medium heat, melt 2 tsp. butter. Add oil and shallots and sauté 2 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 2 more minutes. Add mushrooms, and salt and pepper to taste. Sauté 8 – 10 minutes (until mushrooms release juices). Add thyme and rosemary and sauté 2 additional minutes. Stir in cognac and simmer down. Turn off heat and whisk in 2 T. butter. Season to taste.
Mix goat cheese with whip cream and fresh herbs.
Butter bread slices and toast in oven 8 minutes. Once toasted, spread with goat cheese mixture and top with mushroom mixture. Serve immediately.
Suggested Wine: Fontaleoni Vernaccia. This full-bodied Italian white wine serves as a great complement to the mushrooms in this recipe.