Wild Mushrooms with Herbed Cheese

Champiñones Salvajes con Queso de Hierbas
by Sasa Mahr-Batuz and Andy Pforzheimer with Mary Goodbody
from The Barcelona Cookbook
(Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2009)
Serves 4

This is a flavor combination that Andy has always liked—wild mushrooms and balsamic vinegar. It’s the way he used to prepare them at Stars in San Francisco, where they also used goat cheese as a counterpoint. At Barcelona, our original recipe used a piece of French goat cheese, but now we use an garlicky herbed goat cheese mixture, which melts much better and more evenly. This dish perks up quickly in the microwave, so it’s a great last-minute piece of a meal—Sasa Mahr-Batuz and Andy Pforzheimer

convert Ingredients
For the herbed cheese
Two 8-ounce logs goat cheese, at room temperature
1/4 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
Leaves from 6 sprigs fresh thyme, minced
Leaves from 3 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley, minced
Leaves from 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, minced
1/4 bunch fresh chives, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the wild mushrooms
3 tablespoons olive oil
10 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
10 ounces oyster mushrooms or other forest mushrooms, torn into 1/4-inch pieces
10 ounces cremini mushrooms, all but 1/4 inch of stems removed, sliced
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 shallots, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups veal stock
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

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Method
Prepare the herbed cheese
1. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and set on medium speed, mix together the goat cheese, cream cheese, thyme, parsley, rosemary, chives, and garlic for about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper and beat for 2 to 3 minutes longer or very well blended.

2. Spread a sheet of plastic wrap about 12 inches long on a work surface. Spread about half of the herbed cheese along the bottom third of the plastic wrap, leaving 1 inch on each end. Roll the plastic wrap around the cheese to make a log approximately 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Twist the clean ends of the plastic wrap closed. Repeat with the rest of the cheese to make another log. Refrigerate the logs for at least 3 hours and up to 3 days.

Prepare the wild mushrooms
1. In a large saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over high heat. Add a third of each of the wild mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the mushrooms develop a golden crust. At this point, lift the mushrooms from the pan and set aside. Add more oil and cook the next batch of mushrooms. Repeat with the rest of the mushrooms and oil.

2. Reduce the heat to medium and add the shallots to the pan. Return the mushrooms to the pan and cook for about 7 minutes or until the shallots are translucent.

3. Add the stock, vinegar, and thyme leaves, increase the heat to high, and simmer rapidly for 9 to 10 minutes, or until the liquid reduces to about 1/2 cup. The mushrooms should be juicy but without much extra sauce.

4. Remove the cheese logs from the refrigerator and slice into rounds about 3/4 inch thick. (This is very easy to do with dental floss.) Reserve any extra for another use.

5. Put about 1 cup of the wild mushroom mixture into each of 4 microwave-safe serving bowls. Top each serving with 1 or 2 rounds of herbed cheese. Microwave for about 1 minute, or until the cheese softens and the mushrooms are piping hot. Serve immediately.

Recipe © 2009 Sasa Mahr-Batuz and Andy Pforzheimer. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.