Duxelle Toast with Whipped Ricotta
Cook time: Approximately 20 minutes
Serves: Makes 12 crostini
From Season 4, Episode 2
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 lb finely minced mixed mushrooms such as blue oyster, Italian oyster, elm oyster, lions mane and chestnut
- ½ cup chopped spring onion
- 1 stalk green garlic, minced (or 2 cloves dried, mature garlic)
- 2 tbs unsalted butter
- baguette, sliced into 1-inch crostini
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 2 tbs olive oil
- kosher salt
- garnishes: edible flowers, fresh thyme, Maldon salt, olive oil, and lemon juice
PREPARATION:
Melt butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, 3-5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and ½ teaspoon kosher salt and raise the heat to medium.
Cook the mushrooms until they have shrunk and all of the water has been cooked out, the mixture becoming almost dry, approximately 10 minutes. When the mushrooms just begin to stick to the bottom of the skillet, transfer to a bowl and set aside.
While the mushrooms cool, add the ricotta to the bowl of a food processor along with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and ¼ teaspoon salt. Allow the food process to run for 1 to 1.5 minutes, until the ricotta becomes light, silky and very smooth. Taste for seasoning and add additional salt if preferred.
Spoon the ricotta onto the baguette slices and layer the mushroom duxelle on top of the cheese. Garnish with fresh thyme, edible flowers, flakes of Maldon salt, a drizzle of olive oil, and spritz of lemon juice. Serve.