Lemony Mushroom and Frisee Toasts

By cristinasciarra • December 1, 2011 • 1 Comments

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Author Notes: I think I made these originally with things I had sitting in the fridge--who wants to see perfectly good salad and mushroom leftovers go to waste? I have since made these as hors d'oeuvres at various get-togethers, and I find they are really easy to prepare ahead of time. If you mix a batch of dressing, wash a bunch of frisee and sautee a batch of mushrooms, you can throw these toasts together at the last minute! - cristinasciarra

Makes about 20 toasts

35 cremini mushrooms
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon salted butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bunches frisee lettuce
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
sea salt, freshly ground pepper
1 loaf pain de mie, or 1 baguette
20 thin slices Pecorino cheese

Wash, dry and thinly slice the mushrooms; set aside. In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil, butter, minced garlic and thyme until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms, and cook them until they are soft, about another 6 to 8 minutes.
In a small bowl, mix the mustard with the lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Pour in the olive oil, whisking constantly, until incorporated. Set aside. Wash and dry the frisee.
If you are using pain de mie, cut the bread into slices, and the slices into 4 equal quarters. If you are using a baguette, slice into thin rounds. Lay the bread on a baking sheet, and toast in the oven at 300F for about 10 minutes, until lightly toasted.
Just before you are ready to serve, toss the frisee with the lemon dressing (give it a whisk if it has separated). If made ahead, gently reheat the mushrooms and slice the Pecorino. To assemble, spoon a layer of the mushrooms onto each toast, then top with a slice of the cheese. Add a bit of the dressed frisee to each toast. Finish with a grating of freshly ground pepper.