Nosh: Channeling Dinner

Channeling Dinner

I had been reading food blogs yesterday and thinking about what to make for dinner, when suddenly, I was overwhelmed with a desire for chanterelles and french bread. I don't know where it came from; some wavelength from afar must have hit me at just the right angle; maybe I was channeling Clothilde. Who knows!? What's important is that I got them:

Chanterelles (also known as "pfifferlingen" in Germany, almost as fun to say as "hassenpfeffer") are my favorite fungi ... for their bright orangey color, their delicate taste, their silky texture. You don't have to do much to them; in fact, the less fussy the preparation, the better. When people talk about "life's simple pleasures", this is definitely one of them.

The mushrooms can be sandy and you'll have to patiently brush each one clean. This may take awhile, so have a glass of crisp white wine handy and possibly a friend to chat with. Even as you're sitting there, brushing away and muttering and cursing my name, just know it is well worth the effort. When your mushrooms are clean, cooking them requires no time at all. You can throw this dish together at the last minute, looking glamorous and impressive for your friends.

When you serve a simple meal, it is also a good time to break out those special ingredients. The aged balsamic vinegar; your stash of fleur de sel; or in this case, an extravagent olive oil I purchased at the market in Moustier Sainte-Marie in Provence. It's marinated with ceps and has the most beautiful flavor, the perfect complement to the chanterelles.

Chanterelles Over Toasted French Bread

Approx. 2 tbsp (30 g) fresh butter;
Just less than 1 lb (450 grams) chanterelles; cleaned well;
6 slices French baguette, cut on a diagonal;
2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary;
Mushroom oil (extra virgin olive oil flavored with mushrooms);
1/4 cup (60 ml) dry white wine;
Fleur de Sel;
White pepper

Strip the rosemary leaves and chop them very finely. Set aside. Heat a grill or your oven broiler. Brush the baguette slices with the mushroom oil, season with fleur de sel and pepper, and toast them lightly on one side.

Meanwhile, heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add 1 tbsp of the butter and swirl. When the foam subsides, add the mushrooms. Flip the mushrooms in the pan so that they're coated. Add the rosemary and cook for about 5 minutes, tossing the mushrooms every so often. Add the white wine and toss again, allowing the wine to reduce for one minute. Season with fleur de sel and pepper. At the last moment, swirl in the remaining butter to create a little sauce.

To serve, place two slices of baguette on each plate. Top with mushrooms and a bit of sauce. Garnish with rosemary.

Serves 2.

Technorati tags: mushrooms food+blog chanterelles dinner nosh rosemary butter