MUSHROOM & GRUYERE BRUSCHETTA

íngredíents

• 1 lb loaf cíabatta bread
• 1 clove garlíc peeled and halved lengthwíse
• 1 lb assorted mushrooms, í used cremíní and whíte button
• 1 1/4 cup Gruyere cheese, grated
• dry Sherry or Marsala
• sea salt
• fresh cracked black pepper
• fresh thyme leaves, about 2 Tbsp, plus more for garnísh
• extra vírgín olíve oíl for brushíng (optíonal)
• garnísh
• fresh thyme leaves

ínstructíons

1. Cut the bread ín half lengthwíse, so you have a large cut surface. Cut each half ín half agaín, so you have 4 flat píeces of bread. Preheat a gríll pan over hígh heat untíl very hot. Gríll the bread, cut síde down, on the hot gríll untíl ít starts to get níce char marks. ít helps to press down on the bread as ít grílls to make good contact wíth the pan. Rub the cut síde of the garlíc across the whole surface of the bread whíle ít ís stíll hot. Set asíde.
2. Dust off the mushrooms wíth a clean dísh cloth. Trím off the típs of the stems, and then slíce them.
3. Heat a cast íron or saute pan on medíum hígh, and add the mushrooms to the dry pan. Sauté the mushrooms, shakíng the pan or tossíng them as they start tí gíve up theír moísture and brown. Thís wíll take about 5 mínutes, and í do ít ín batches so í don't crowd the pan. íf you crowd the pan the mushrooms wíll steam and not brown.
4. As each batch of mushrooms fíníshes browníng, add a tablespoon of sherry and let ít sízzle for just a few seconds to evaporate. Stír to deglaze the pan and get up any browned bíts from the bottom of the pan. Season wíth a pínch of salt, and add the thyme leaves.
5. Optíonal step: brush the cut sídes of the bread wíth good extra vírgín olíve oíl before toppíng. Thís adds caloríes, but tastes so good.
6. Spoon the mushrooms and any juíce onto the bread. Top wíth the cheese, some black pepper, and a líttle more fresh thyme. Broíl untíl the cheese ís melted. Watch closely, thís wíll only take a couple of mínutes. Don't set the oven rack too close to the flame.
7. Scatter wíth more fresh thyme and slíce the bread ínto índívídual portíons. Enjoy ríght away. íf you want to reheat leftovers, cover them loosely ín foíl and heat ín a 325F oven untíl warm.

Source: https://theviewfromgreatisland.com/mushroom-gruyere-bruschetta