Toast Of The Town
Though we usually associate bruschetta with juicy summer tomatoes, we’ve discovered we don’t have to wait for sandal season to make the Italian antipasti worth our while. At Charleston’s Stars Rooftop & Grill Room, chef Nathan Thurston weds seasonal mushrooms and mustard greens with a heady truffle vinaigrette to create bruschetta that’s ready for a winter feast. Just don’t expect to serve them as passed hors d’oeuvres: These generous toasts should be offered up as a plated first course with a knife and fork, not a dainty cocktail napkin.
Ingredients
Black Truffle Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon black truffle oil
½ teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon finely chopped shallot
1 teaspoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
Salt
Mushroom Bruschetta
½ pound mixed mushrooms, such as oyster, shiitake and maitake
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ pound roughly chopped mustard greens (about 2 cups)
Six ½-inch-thick slices multigrain bread, toasted
2 ounces crumbled feta cheese
Directions
1. Make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil with the Champagne vinegar, truffle oil and sugar. Add the shallot and parsley and let rest at room temperature for 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt.
2. Make the bruschetta: Meanwhile, clean the mushrooms and cut them into bite-size pieces. In a medium bowl, combine the mushrooms with 2 tablespoons of the truffle vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper. Set the mushrooms aside to rest for 15 minutes.
3. In a large skillet set over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid the mushrooms release has evaporated and the mushrooms are golden brown and tender, about 6 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a small bowl and cover to keep warm.
4. In a medium bowl, toss the mustard greens with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Add the mustard greens to the skillet and cook, stirring, until slightly wilted, about 1 minute.
5. Arrange the toasted bread on a serving platter and divide the feta among the toasts. Top the toasts with the mustard greens and reserved mushrooms. Drizzle the remaining truffle vinaigrette around and on top of the toasts to taste and serve immediately.