Mushroom and Madeira Crostini

makes 6 crostini

Ingredients

6 1-inch thick slices of Italian bread

2 or 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 clove of garlic, peeled

1 tablespoon butter

6 to 8 medium sized mushrooms, sliced

1 clove of garlic, finely minced

1 teaspoon of thyme, finely chopped

Kosher salt, to taste

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons chicken broth

1/4 cup Madeira wine

Preparation

toast the bread:

    

1.   Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

2.  Brush both sides of each slice of bread with some of the olive oil and place on a cookie.    Place cookie sheet in oven and toast bread until the side up begins to brown and becomes crispy.

3.  Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and rub the crusty side of each slice of  bread with the peeled garlic and turn each slice with over.

4.  Continue toasting the bread until this side of the bread begins to  brown and becomes crispy.  Remove the cookie sheet from the oven.

sauté the mushrooms:

1.  Heat butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat.  When the butter is completely melted and the mushrooms and sauté, unmolested until the mushroom slices begin to soften and brown slightly.

2.  Sprinkle with salt and a few grindings of freshly ground black pepper.  Add the minced garlic and thyme and continue sautéing for 1 or 2 minutes.

3.  Add the chicken broth and Madeira wine, raise the heat under the pan to high and reduce the liquid by half and is thickened.

bring it all together:

Spoon some of the mushrooms and liquid over each of the toasted slices of bread and serve immediately.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Cream of Mushroom Soup

serves 6 to 8

(America)

If you think the only use for cream of mushroom soup is as part of a green bean casserole at Thanksgiving you've got a pleasant surprise in store for you. I think you'll find this creamy, flavourful version a wake-up call for your taste buds.

Ingredients

6 tablespoons butter

24 ounces (3 cups)  sliced mushrooms

1 large onion, chopped

2 large garlic cloves, micro-planed

2 tablespoons white flour

6 1/2 cups chicken broth 

3/4 cup Madeira

1 pint half and half cream

Kosher or sea salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons chopped, fresh Italian flat leaved parsley for garnish

Preparation

1.  Melt butter in (4-5 quart) sauce pan over medium heat and lightly sauté onion and garlic.  Add mushrooms and thyme and sauté for 10-15 minutes.  Add the Madeira, and cook, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle the mixture with flour, and stir to coat and cook for about 1 minute to eliminate the raw flour taste.

2.   Stir in the chicken broth and bay leaf and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for  about 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and discard;  remove 1 cup mushrooms with a slotted spoon and reserve.    

3.  In small batches, pour remaining soup mixture into the container of a food processor; carefully purée until smooth returning each batch to saucepan as you complete the puree.  Stir in cream, the reserved sliced mushrooms adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish with parsley and serve hot.