One of the BEST appetizers ever — Mushroom Sandwiches

   

     With an excess of mushrooms on hand, I dug out this old recipe that I hadn’t made for awhile. It’s a bit of work but since I opt for the Make Ahead section of the recipe, it means that I have Mushroom Sandwiches ready to heat and eat . . . at the drop of a hat, or at least within the 15 minutes required reheating time.

     But actually, I love to just eat the filling on crackers. Call it Pâté and forget the frying!

     I did update the recipe by adding fresh thyme leaves. Thyme pairs nicely with this filling and added yet another layer of flavor.

Mushroom Sandwiches About  40 sandwiches

For this recipe I always
pulse the mushrooms in the
work bowl of a food processor.

1 to 2 loaves thinly sliced sandwich bread, white or wheat

¼ cup (½ stick) butter

3 tablespoons finely minced onion

¾ lb. button mushrooms, finely chopped

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco®

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

⅛ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup half-and-half

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or about 1 teaspoon dried)

Butter & olive oil for frying

1. Cut each slice of bread with a biscuit cutter into two to four 1¾ ” rounds. Depending on the sandwich bread, you may or may not be able to get 4 rounds; often I can only get 2 to 3, hence in the ingredient list I’ve listed up to 2 loaves of bread. (For 40 sandwiches, you’ll need 80 rounds.)
   
2. Heat butter and sauté onion; add mushrooms; sauté until all moisture is cooked out of mushrooms. Add flour; stir until thick. Add hot sauce, salt, pepper and half-and-half. Cook until thick; add thyme leaves.

   

   Sautéing the onions.

   

   Mushrooms have just been added.

   

   Mushrooms are beginning to cook down.

   

   After adding flour, the hot sauce, salt & pepper and half-and-half have been added.

   

   As mixture thickens, add the thyme leaves.

3. Chill for several hours or overnight until mixture is easy to spread. 
4. Spread 1 teaspoon mushroom mixture on each bread round. Top with another bread round to make a sandwich. Repeat procedure until 40 sandwiches are made.  
   
5. Fry sandwiches in equal portion butter and olive oil until brown and crisp, about 1 min. for each side. Drain thoroughly. Keep warm, uncovered, in a 300° oven if serving right away.
   
   

   

   Fry the bottom of the sandwiches.

   

   Flip sandwiches and fry underneath side.

   

   I drain on a cooling rack that is perched on a large jelly-roll pan since I opt for the Make Ahead option.

Make Ahead Option: After frying, freeze the sandwiches. When ready to serve, remove from freezer, transfer to a sheet pan  and bake in a preheated 300° oven for about 15 minutes.

Reheating the frozen sandwiches.

I garnished the plates of sandwiches with fresh thyme.

Mushroom Pâté: Forget the frying and just make the mushroom spread (steps 2-3).

Recipe without photos . . . 

Mushroom Sandwiches About  40 sandwiches

1 to 2 loaves thinly sliced sandwich bread, white or wheat

¼ cup (½ stick) butter

3 tablespoons finely minced onion

¾ lb. button mushrooms, finely chopped

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco®

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

⅛ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup half-and-half

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or about 1 teaspoon dried)

Butter & olive oil for frying

1. Cut each slice of bread with a biscuit cutter into two to four 1¾ ” rounds. Depending on the sandwich bread, you may or may not be able to get 4 rounds; often I can only get 2 to 3, hence in the ingredient list I’ve listed up to 2 loaves of bread. (For 40 sandwiches, you’ll need 80 rounds.)
2. Heat butter and sauté onion; add mushrooms; sauté until all moisture is cooked out of mushrooms. Add flour; stir until thick. Add hot sauce, salt, pepper and half-and-half. Cook until thick; add thyme leaves.
3. Chill for several hours or overnight until mixture is easy to spread. 
4. Spread 1 teaspoon mushroom mixture on each bread round. Top with another bread round to make a sandwich. Repeat procedure until 40 sandwiches are made.  
5. Fry sandwiches in equal portion butter and olive oil until brown and crisp, about 1 min. for each side. Drain thoroughly. Keep warm, uncovered, in a 300° oven if serving right away.

Make Ahead Option: After frying, freeze the sandwiches. When ready to serve, remove from freezer, transfer to a sheet pan  and bake in a preheated 300° oven for about 15 minutes.

Mushroom Pâté: Forget the frying and just make the mushroom spread (steps 2-3).