Years ago, we hosted a holiday party and I made a wild mushroom tart.  It was filled with assorted wild mushrooms and it was delicious.  I love mushrooms.  As a vegetarian, they often make an appearance in many homemade dishes.

Nutritional benefits of mushrooms

  • high in antioxidants, selenium, vitamin D, folate.
  • 8oz of grilled portabella mushrooms and 8oz of shiitake mushrooms provide 3 g of fiber to benefit the digestive system reducing risk of heart diseaase.
  • Fiber, potassium and vitamin C for a healthy heart. The mushroom stem is a good source of beta-glucans and chitins (dietary fibers) which can lower blood cholesterol as well as curbing appetite.

One cup of chopped or sliced raw white mushrooms contains:   15 calories, 0 grams of fat, 2.2 grams of protein, 2.3 grams of carbohydrate, including 0.7 grams of fiber and 1.4 grams of sugar.

Vitamins and minerals:   Rich in B vitamins (riboflavin (B2), folate (B9), thiamine (B1), pantothenic acid (B5), and niacin B3). Mushrooms are also the only vegan, non-fortified dietary source of vitamin D. Several other minerals such as selenium, potassium, copper, iron, and phosphorus, are available in mushrooms.

Since I’ve peaked your interest in mushrooms but you’re still not sure how you are going to enjoy that gray-ish colored little fungi which is notoriously grown in…. well, you know, here is a recipe for you. Make sure to clean the gills from the mushroom.  Those gills are the “nose hairs” of mushrooms (sorry…this is food post isn’t it???) and collect the dirt.

Mushroom Tart (with some variations for you)

Ingredients:
Crust:  1 ¼ c flour, ½ tsp salt, 1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled butter, and 2 TBS ice water.
Filling:

  • 1 cup water
  • 1 oz dried porcini mushrooms
  • ¼ cup olive oil (or butter)
  • 10 oz crimini or button mushrooms
  • *Instead of dried mushrooms, I used fresh 14 oz baby bella sliced, 3.5 oz shiitake sliced. You don’t need the water if using fresh.
  • ¼ cup minced shallot
  • 2 TBS brandy (or sweet white wine)
  • 2 TBS chopped fresh herbs
  • 2/3 cup Gruyere cheese (or Asiago)
  • ¾ cup heavy cream (I used 8 oz Neufchatel cheese)
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1 large whole egg.

For the crust:   Using a food processor, blend the flour and salt. Cut in the chilled butter to make a coarse meal then drizzle in the ice water until a dough ball forms. Flatten to a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and chill 30 – 40 minutes.

Roll out dough on a floured surface to a 12” circle and put into a pie pan. With the extra overhanging crust, fold up to make extra thick on the edge. Return to fridge to chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 F.  Line crust with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Set aside.

Filling:

If using the dried mushrooms, boil the water then add the porcini. Remove from heat and allow to rehydrate in hot water for 30 minutes.  Spoon from the water but retain that water for extra flavor.  Coarsely chop the porcini.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the porcini and the crimini (or button), sprinkle with salt and saute for 10 minutes.  *If using fresh mushrooms, start at this point with the oil and saute as above.

Add the shallots and saute for 2 minutes. Add brandy or wine and if using dried mushrooms some of the reserved water from boiling but don’t pour in because there will be grit at the bottom. Simply spoon water in.  Cook until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 3 – 5 minutes. Mix in 1 TBS herbs, stir and cool.

Oven should still be at 375 F.  Sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese into the partially cooked crust. Cover with mushroom filling.

Whip the cream (or the Neufchatel cheese) with the eggs plus 1 TBS herbs and pour over mushrooms.  Top with remaining cheese.

Mushroom Tart
Recipe Type: Entree
Cuisine: American
Author: Joanne
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 1
Savory, nutritious and well worth the effort. Have fun making and eating this dish.
Ingredients
  • Crust:  1 ¼ c flour, ½ tsp salt, 1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled butter, and 2 TBS ice water.
  • Filling:
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 oz dried porcini mushrooms
  • ¼ cup olive oil (or butter)
  • 10 oz crimini or button mushrooms
  • *Instead of dried mushrooms, I used fresh 14 oz baby bella sliced, 3.5 oz shiitake sliced. You don’t need the water if using fresh.
  • ¼ cup minced shallot
  • 2 TBS brandy (or sweet white wine)
  • 2 TBS chopped fresh herbs
  • 2/3 cup Gruyere cheese (or Asiago)
  • ¾ cup heavy cream (I used 8 oz Neufchatel cheese)
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1 large whole egg.
Instructions
  1. For the crust:   Using a food processor, blend the flour and salt. Cut in the chilled butter to make a coarse meal then drizzle in the ice water until a dough ball forms. Flatten to a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and chill 30 – 40 minutes.
  2. Roll out dough on a floured surface to a 12” circle and put into a pie pan. With the extra overhanging crust, fold up to make extra thick on the edge. Return to fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
  3. Preheat oven to 375 F.  Line crust with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Set aside.
  4. Filling:
  5. If using the dried mushrooms, boil the water then add the porcini. Remove from heat and allow to rehydrate in hot water for 30 minutes.  Spoon from the water but retain that water for extra flavor.  Coarsely chop the porcini.
  6. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the porcini and the crimini (or button), sprinkle with salt and saute for 10 minutes.  *If using fresh mushrooms, start at this point with the oil and saute as above.
  7. Add the shallots and saute for 2 minutes. Add brandy or wine and if using dried mushrooms some of the reserved water from boiling but don’t pour in because there will be grit at the bottom. Simply spoon water in.  Cook until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 3 – 5 minutes. Mix in 1 TBS herbs, stir and cool.
  8. Oven should still be at 375 F.  Sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese into the partially cooked crust. Cover with mushroom filling.
  9. Whip the cream (or the Neufchatel cheese) with the eggs plus 1 TBS herbs and pour over mushrooms.  Top with remaining cheese.
  10. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes.

ENJOY!

Joanne

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