Cooking Lesson #595 Mushroom & Egg Toast

…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen

How you doin’? Avocado toast is so passé these days, yet toast remains one of our most favorite foods—and we like it in all its forms.

Hot toast, golden brown, buttered and delicious right out of the toaster. It’s a joy and a comfort any time of day—with a wonderful aroma-filled cinnamon shake-on, perched on the side of a breakfast plate or smothered with peanut butter. Toast is also a terrific midnight snack. But we also like fancy, grilled dinner toast, the kind that frames the sides a steaming bowl of mussels and garlic-infused broth.
 
Mushroom & Egg Toast falls somewhere between humble home toast and restaurant toast. It’s sourdough, lovingly slathered in olive oil and a pinch of flake salt, grilled, and then piled up with a creamy herb cheese, oyster mushrooms, and a crispy fried egg. The mushrooms are cooked in miso, vinegar, herbs, and aromatics, so they’re meaty and intensely savory. Break that lush egg yolk over the top of them, and you have a rich, satisfying dish, full of flavor and chewy, crunchy, creamy texture. What more could you ask for?
 
You can serve this dish any time of day. It makes a phenomenal brunch, and an easy, midweek dinner, served with a green salad and a bottle of wine—kind of a pleasant mix of both comfort and luxury.
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  15 minutes
Yield:  1 to 2 servings
 
Ingredients 
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4 ounces oyster mushrooms
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon white miso paste (found in the Asian section)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 teaspoon minced chives
1 large egg
2 slices sourdough bread (cut on bias)
2 tablespoons garlic and herb cheese spread (I prefer Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs Spread)
1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
1/4 cup microgreen salad mix for garnish
1 to 2 teaspoons balsamic salad dressing
 
Directions
To prepare the mushrooms

1. In a medium sauté pan, warm 3 teaspoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Next, add the mushrooms. Let them sauté a little in the pan. Cook until the water released from the mushrooms has evaporated and they begin to caramelize.
3. Add the sherry vinegar and toss together.
4. Add the honey and miso and toss again to combine.
5. Add in 1 tablespoon of the butter and sauté until it’s melted and incorporated with the miso, about 1 minute.
6. Toss in the chives, season to taste with salt and pepper, and set the mixture aside.

To make the egg

1. In a medium, non-stick pan, melt the remaining tablespoon of butter over medium heat.
2. Crack the egg into the pan and fry it until the whites are set and the edges begin to crisp. Remove the pan from heat and set it aside. Be careful not to overcook; leave the eggs slightly runny.

To make the toast

1. Preheat a grill pan to high.
2. Drizzle the remaining olive oil on the sourdough slices and season lightly with the salt and pepper.
3. Place the bread slices down onto the grill pan, press lightly, and cook for 30 seconds, or until the bread is golden brown.
4. Flip the bread over and grill the second side.

To assemble the toast

1. Transfer the grilled bread slices to plates. Spread each slice with about a tablespoon of seasoned cheese, and then top each with the mushroom mixture, the egg, and a pinch or two of greens.

ChefSecret:  You can use whole wheat or girthy seedy or nutty breads instead of French bread if you prefer.

Quip of the Day:  If loving mushrooms is wrong, I don’t want to be right.
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross. 

#Breakfast #Brunch #Eggs #Mushrooms #Sourdough #Mushroom-Egg-Toast #Boursin #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  
                                                                                ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023

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