Chive

Mushrooms on Toast

April 13, 2011
5
1 Ratings
Photo by James Ransom
  • Serves 2, generously
Author Notes

I am completely obsessed with mushrooms on toast. I love everything about it, the meaty flavor of the mushrooms, the sturdy toast, the way the juices sop into the toast and make it soggy. I don't have an exact recipe, I generally just make a sort of mushroom ragout and put it on top of toast - sometimes with a poached egg, sometimes without - but here's my approximation of what I did the last time I made it. It works with most any kind of mushrooms. It's obviously amazing with morels or other wild mushrooms but also perfectly tasty with humble button mushrooms. - fiveandspice —fiveandspice

Test Kitchen Notes

Featured in: I Was Lonely & Hated Vegetables—Until I Befriended Vegetarians.

Fiveandspice's recipe highlights everything that is wonderful about mushrooms on toast -- saucy, rich mushrooms on crisp, buttery toast. I love the recipe details, like sprinkling fresh herbs on the buttered toast. The timing of the recipe is spot on; the technique for poaching eggs is foolproof. - biffbourgeois —Stephanie Bourgeois

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Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 pound mixed mushrooms, wiped clean with a damp cloth and thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon minced shallot
  • 1 pinch chopped fresh thyme (dried thyme substitutes just fine)
  • 2 tablespoons dry sherry
  • 1/2 cup good chicken or vegetable stock (or if you're really good, which I'm generally not, you'll make some mushroom stock)
  • 1/4 cup creme fraiche
  • 2 large eggs, cracked into two cups, yolks intact
  • 1 splash white vinegar
  • 2 thick slices of brioche
  • 2 teaspoons butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon chopped chives
  • 1 teaspoon chopped chervil
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
  1. In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, melt the 2 Tbs. butter until foaming. Then, stir in the mushrooms and a generous pinch of salt. Cook until the mushrooms have given off their liquid and it has mostly cooked off (about 6 minutes).
  2. Stir in the thyme and the shallot (add a tiny pat of butter if the pan has gotten too dry) and cook until the shallot begins to soften, another minute or two, then stir in the sherry. Let the sherry cook off, then add the broth. Bring to a boil, then turn down slightly to a simmer, and cook until the broth has been reduced to about 1/4 cup. Then, remove from the heat and set to the side.
  3. Bring a pan with a couple of inches of water to a boil and add the splash of vinegar. Take off the heat and once the bubbles die down, immediately slide in the two eggs from their cups (gently and on opposite sides of the pan - you may need to use a spatula to keep them apart), and allow to sit for 4-6 minutes, at this point the whites should be set but the yolk still runny. Then remove the eggs from the water with a slotted spoon and set on a paper towel to dry slightly.
  4. While the eggs are sitting in the poaching water toast your brioche slices until golden brown. Put each slice on a plate. Brush with the melted butter and sprinkle each piece with chives and chervil.
  5. As soon as the eggs are about ready, bring your pan with the mushrooms back up to a simmer, then swirl in the creme fraiche. Spoon the 'shrooms and sauce over the toasts and top each with a poached egg. Sprinkle with some sea salt and freshly ground pepper and enjoy. (And, if you happen to accompany your toast with some crisp tender asparagus, I can pretty much promise that you will not be sad about it.)

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27 Reviews

fitzie September 7, 2018
I love mushrooms on toast. Use an old James Beard recipe. Usually make it when I'll be the only eating as nobody else likes mushrooms.
Scribbles February 9, 2015
I fixed this last night for supper. My husband said it must be Sunday we're having eggs ... I love eggs at night! Great recipe!! Very tasty and the creme fraiche adds that little bit extra with the sherry for a wonderful mouth feel. I used a rustic French loaf, cut two thinnish pieces for each, it was really really good. Also, I did over easy eggs. As many cooks/chefs tout, recipes should be an inspiration and people should feel free to improvise and use ingredients they like. Thanks for a new edition to my Sunday eggs rotation!
Kim December 3, 2014
i see below someone placed this on rosti (grated Swiss style potatoes- delish!)
love this recipe- easy great dinner!
Reagan October 26, 2014
I'm pretty sure I ate this in June on my way through Golden, BC this summer! So perfect!
JIM H. October 12, 2014
If you place each egg in a half cup of white vinegar and let it sit while you add water to a pan to poach eggs in let water come to a boil then take a wire whisk and create a vortex in water by whipping then quickly stop add eggs with vinegar and poach to desired doneness You will end up with the perfect poached egg Tear drop in shape shape Jim
Bkilmer September 21, 2014
This looks delicious, and maybe worth the trouble now and then, but requires more ingredients than I usually have on hand. Also, not so healthy with creme fraiche, butter, and brioche. I make a much more simple variation for my family (single mom with three kids) almost weekly. Saute mushrooms in olive oil with herbs, add salt, pepper & a little balsamic vinegar (or if you're really short on time, cook it all in 1/4 cup vinaigrette dressing), until mushrooms are browned and cooked the way you like. Meanwhile, toast slices of whole grain bread
(we like Trader Joe's Tuscan Pane). Top toast with mushrooms, fry one easy-over egg for each diner, and serve. It's still meaty and satisfying without so much dairy fat - a good taste habit to cultivate, especially for vegetarian kids.
Monica R. January 22, 2014
Even though I did not have chervil, subbed french bread for brioche, dried chives for fresh and am absolute rubbish at poaching eggs, this was absolutely divine. Loved every bite!
rederin January 18, 2014
My husband and I have both made this a couple of times. It is wonderful. Perfect for a quick, healthy and satisfying dinner!

For some reason, I have had the hardest time learning how to poach eggs. Ridiculous, I know, but there you go. This recipe inspired me to try again, and success! So now I have two reasons to thank you for posting this. ;)
fiveandspice January 20, 2014
Yay! Glad to hear it!
Sugartoast January 13, 2014
this looks glorious. can't wait to try it!
fiveandspice January 20, 2014
Thanks!
Herr G. January 13, 2014
this goes immediately on the list of vegetarian meals, where you don't miss out on the meat. Thanks a lot.
fiveandspice January 20, 2014
I agree!
catalinalacruz November 2, 2013
We just had this for dinner, using wedges of potato rösti instead of brioche. Also had a side of baby salad greens dressed with Food 52's Blue Cheese dressing. Fantastic!
http://food52.com/blog/7935-homemade-blue-cheese-dressing
fiveandspice November 5, 2013
Ooh, yum!
grammypeg October 31, 2013
This is one of my favorite lunches. I first came across it while living in England 30 years ago and habited a local pub one afternoon and found mushrooms and bacon on toast. You just can't miss on this! Thanks for bringing it up!
fiveandspice November 5, 2013
It does make a wonderful lunch.
lissa October 30, 2013
Its mushroom season here in France, don't know what to do with them all... great idea! Thanks ;)
fiveandspice November 5, 2013
Excellent!
LynneT July 29, 2013
I made this for dinner tonight and it was wonderful. Thanks.
fiveandspice July 30, 2013
Glad you liked it!
gingerroot August 2, 2012
Not sure how I missed this the first time around, but I'm glad I found it now. I've always loved mushrooms but only recently discovered an interest in poached eggs - this sounds fantastic and I can't wait to enjoy this soon.
fiveandspice August 2, 2012
Thanks so much! I hope you like it as much as I do. I find the combination of creamy mushrooms and a runny egg completely addicting.
em-i-lis July 26, 2012
this sounds scrumptious, 5&S!
fiveandspice July 27, 2012
Thanks Em! Glad you think so!
wssmom April 13, 2011
I haven't thought about mushrooms on toast in, like, forever! This sounds awesome!
fiveandspice April 13, 2011
Thank you! I only just discovered mushrooms on toast this year (late to the party!) and I'm totally addicted.