This appetizer is impossible to keep your fork out of and a breeze to whip together on a whim.
Baked Feta with Spicy Thyme Mushrooms by The Gouda Life
serves 4-6 as an appetizer
1 1/2 cups spicy mushrooms, recipe to follow
1 8-10oz block of feta
2 tbsp scallions or chives, sliced thin or minced
2 tsp high olive oil
fresh ground pepper
1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
bread, crackers, chips, sliced cucumbers etc, for serving
Preheat the oven to 375.
Place the feta, sliced into two pieces lengthwise, into a baking dish or oven-safe skillet. Top the feta with the thyme mushrooms, drizzle with the olive oil and bake for 20 minutes or until everything is warmed through and feta is softened slightly. Garnish with parsley and fresh ground pepper. Serve right from the pan with thinly sliced toasted baguette, crackers or slices of cucumber.
Spicy Thyme Mushrooms
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb crimini mushrooms, sliced thin (cleaned* + stems removed)
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
1/4 – 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp fresh thyme
2 tbsp brandy, optional
zest from 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
generous pinch seal salt
few pinches of fresh ground pepper
Preheat oven to 400.
Place butter and olive oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. When hot, add the sliced mushrooms and let them sit without stirring for 5-8 minutes [note: do not salt them until they are crisped up]. They’ll release their moisture and might look watery, but it will evaporate. They should be beautifully golden on the one side by after 5-8 minutes. Let them sit a little longer if not. Stir them around and let sit for another few minutes. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes and thyme leaves and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the brandy, if using, and cook until fully reduced, 1 minute. Remove from heat, add the lemon zest + juice and parsley. Add ground pepper. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed.
*Clean mushrooms by dampening a clean towel or paper towel and gently wiping the caps of the mushroom. Don’t submerge or rinse them in a colander as the water will mess with the texture.
For more delicious recipe ideas visit Mushrooms Canada at www.mushrooms.ca.
www.newscanada.com
