Credit: Flickr / shutterbean
Try this mushroom and pancetta topping on bread or on chicken or steak
Prepare this snazzy bruschetta as a side or starter, and pair it with a chilled white wine
This is a great little appetizer to serve with a nice chilled Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio. Alternatively, it can be used to top a grilled chicken breast or steak, or simply served as a tasty side dish.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 3 large shallots, diced
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- ½ cup chopped spicy pancetta
- 1 cup fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and julienned
- 1 cup fresh brown button mushrooms, sliced
- ½ cup dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in hot water
- Splash of brandy
- 2 tsp. fresh thyme
- Fresh ground pepper
- Fleur de sel to taste
- 8 slices day-old bread (Terra Olive Bread is a good choice)
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and halved
- Olive oil for drizzling
- ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan.
- Add the shallots and sauté for about 3 minutes, just until they begin to release moisture.
- Add the minced garlic and pancetta and cook until the pancetta begins to crisp.
- Drain the soaking mushrooms, squeeze out the water with your hands and roughly chop.
- Add all the mushrooms and the brandy and sauté on medium-high heat until the mushrooms release their moisture and the mixture is almost dry.
- Add the thyme, salt and pepper to taste.
- Turn the broiler to high and toast the bread on both sides. Once the bread is toasted, rub both sides with the cut garlic clove.
- Drizzle with olive oil and divide the mushroom mixture evenly among the toasted bread slices.
- Sprinkle with Parmesan and parsley. Serve warm.
Makes 8 pieces.
Originally published in TVW. For daily programming updates and on-screen Entertainment news, subscribe to the free TVW e-newsletters, or purchase a subscription to the weekly magazine.