Breaking the jinx with Mushroom Melts

The thing about leisurely cooking in the afternoon, is that I get to take pictures. And that is a privilege that I seem to have lost with my current work schedule. Add to that, the imagined pressure of blogging about something fabulous and you have yourself a pretty non-existent blog over a couple of months. (Sorry Shwe!) So I’m breaking the jinx and blogging about something. Even if it’s something really simple. Something I make myself pretty often and something that I really like. 

My normal grocery shopping always includes a packet of button mushrooms. I like to toss these babies into omelets, pulaos, stews and casseroles. But what I like to do most is just sauté them in butter and garlic and pile them mile high on some good bread. The key to making this more than ‘mushrooms on toast’, is to know how to sauté the mushrooms. What we are looking for is a nice seared brown outside and a juicy plump center. Overcrowding mushrooms in the pan and/or adding them in before the butter/oil is hot, will just cause them to water out and steam, instead of sauté. And we don’t want watery, shriveled up mushrooms - not when they are the star ingredient! 

This version takes it a step further and adds some passata and cheese. I use a Baguette as the base, but Ciabatta would work great as well. The Mushrooms Melts make a delectable appetizer or light lunch with a fresh salad. What they also do, is serve to break my jinx and for that I adore them even more. 

Bruschetta a la Italia - Red, White and Green

This appetizer is so packed with flavor and color and taste, that it’s always a hit at a party. It doesn’t even need any cooking! So if you want to impress with minimal effort and maximum style – this is the one for you. I call it ‘a la Italia’ because once I assembled it, I realized that it had Red, White and Green. I was giggling away to myself very bemused, that an Italian dish must encompass the colors of the Italian flag – hence the christening.

Bruschetta (bru-sket-ta) is a very popular starter to an Italian meal. Though many people assume that bruschetta is bread topped with tomato and Basil and olive oil (that’s a popular topping), it is actually just roasted/ toasted bread rubbed with garlic and some olive oil. You can top this up with interesting combinations and have a fun start to a meal. I always have Pesto and Sun Dried tomatoes at home, so this combo was a no breezer for me. I also picked up some lovely bocconcini (mini mozzarella balls) to top it all off. So without further adieu, I give you Bruschetta a la Italia.

Bruschetta with Pesto, Sun Dried Tomatoes and Mozzarella

Prep time: 10 mins

Serves 6

What you need:

1 French Baguette/ Ciabatta, sliced horizontally (about 12 slices)

4 Tbsp Pesto

4 Sun dried tomatoes, sliced

6 Bocconcini Balls, sliced

¼ cup Olive Oil

4 cloves Garlic

Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper to taste

What to do:

Slice the baguette and toast till a light golden brown. Rub with a clove of garlic and drizzle some olive oil on top. Now spread some pesto on it. Top with sun dried tomato slices and bocconcini. Season with Salt and Pepper. Serve with aplomb!