Portobello Mushroom Crostini with Cream Cheese, Scallions, and Gochugaru
O, Nonna! [Photo Credit: Alex Paternostro]
by Seth and Alex Paternostro
December 5, 2021
Nonna Rossa placed her bulging bag of mushrooms, freshly foraged in the forrest, on the thick wooden table that filled her kitchen. The portobellos’ heads were plump and fat. They would make a luxurious lunch. Straightening her little hexagonal frames, she blinked her eyes to focus on her phone. A text had arrived. It was from her grandson, a bright boy to all outside appearances. She read that he would not be visiting today and provided no reasonable excuse. He claimed to be “praying, all day,” so she assumed that he had found himself a new trollop and promptly crossed herself.
Rossa smiled. O, have the times changed. She recalled that day when she had first met her husband so many years before. She was the hottest waitress at the speedway, and Benno tightened the tires on the track during each race. His biceps glistened in the sun, and while he wasn’t the brightest bulb above the bumper, Rossa was fond of him...
She chuckled and returned to the task at hand.
Serves 4
Total time
30 minutes
Equipment:
cutting board, chef’s knife or cleaver, colander, sturdy pan with cover (preferably heavy, flat-bottomed wok), silicone spatula, kitchen tongs, measuring spoons, spreading knife, tasting fork
Tableware:
plates and hands
Ingredients
6 large portobello mushrooms
3 cloves garlic
1 shallot
½ tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp light soy sauce, or as needed
1 tsp white wine vinegar, or as needed
2 tbsps unsalted butter
2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
2 scallions
8 slices light sourdough bread
Cream cheese, at room temperature, as needed
Gochugaru, as needed
Black pepper, as needed
Kosher salt, as needed
Instructions
Set out all equipment, tableware, and ingredients.
Rinse, then slice the mushrooms ½-inch thick, saving the stems for stock.
Peel, and mince the shallot.
Peel, and thinly slice the garlic.
Heat the pan over medium, then add the extra virgin olive oil, garlic slices, and a pinch of salt.
Stir until the garlic just begins to turn golden, then add the shallot and rosemary.
When the shallots have softened, add the mushrooms, butter, and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper.
Stir to fully coat in the fat, adding more butter or olive oil if the mixture looks too dry.
Cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes until the mushrooms have softened and released a good bit of liquid.
Remove the cover, increase the heat to medium-high, and boil off all of the exuded liquid, stirring frequently.
Continue stirring the mushrooms, allowing the mixture to sizzle until lightly browned all over.
Turn off the heat, and add 1 tsp soy sauce and 2 tsps white wine vinegar.
Taste, then adjust salt, pepper, and acid as desired.
Thinly slice the scallion greens on a sharp bias, reserving the whites for another occasion.
Toast the bread slices, then spread with a thin layer of cream cheese while still hot.
Arrange a scoop of the mushrooms on top of the cream cheese, then garnish with the scallion greens and a pinch of gochugaru.
Enjoy as a quick lunch, an easy appetizer, or an hors-d'œuvre at your next weeknight soirée.
NUTRITION FACTS:
Calories 358 Total Fat 24.1g (31%) Saturated Fat 11.7g (59%) Cholesterol 47mg (16%) Sodium 321mg (14%) Total Carbohydrate 27.1g (10%) Dietary Fiber 2.9g (10%) Total Sugars 0.6g Protein 10.6g Vitamin D 0mcg (0%) Calcium 67mg (5%) Iron 2mg (13%) Potassium 569mg (12%) - Note: Please read our Nutrition Disclaimer.
Seth Paternostro is a writer and recipe developer based in Chicago. He is a co-founder of Our American Cuisine and graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University with an A.B. in East Asian Studies. You can learn more about him here.
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