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Culinary Explorer
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Wild Mushroom Tartine
Created by
Market mushrooms seared golden and fragrant with thyme and garlic, piled high on grilled country bread with bubbling Gruyere, the kind of simple supper that makes autumn feel like a gift.
Sandwiches & Wraps
French
Weeknight
Date Night
Comfort Food
15 min
Active Time
20 min cook•35 min total
Yield4 servings
Start with the mushrooms. This is where everything lives or dies. Seek out what your market or forager offers: chanterelles with their apricot perfume, hen of the woods with meaty density, or even good cremini if that is what you find. What matters is that they were picked recently enough to smell like the forest floor, earthy and alive.
A tartine is the French answer to the open-faced sandwich, but calling it that misses the point. It is a vehicle for whatever is best right now, piled onto bread that can hold its weight without collapsing. In cooler months, when the woods and farms yield their mushrooms, this is what I want for supper.
The technique is almost nothing. Sear the mushrooms until they give up their water and turn golden. Add garlic and thyme at the end so they stay fragrant instead of bitter. Melt good Gruyere over the top until it bubbles and browns. Let things taste of what they are.
Every meal is a meaningful choice. When you buy mushrooms from someone who foraged them or a farmer who grows them with care, you are keeping that connection alive. The tartine will taste better for it. I promise you this.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
mixed wild mushrooms
Quantity
1 pound
cleaned and torn into bite-sized pieces
rustic country bread
Quantity
4 thick slices
unsalted butter
Quantity
3 tablespoons
divided
extra-virgin olive oil
Quantity
2 tablespoons, plus more for drizzling
garlic
Quantity
3 cloves
thinly sliced
fresh thyme leaves
Quantity
1 tablespoon
dry white wine or dry sherry
Quantity
1/4 cup
Gruyere cheese
Quantity
4 ounces
coarsely grated
flaky sea salt
Quantity
to taste
black pepper
Quantity
to taste
freshly cracked
fresh flat-leaf parsley
Quantity
small handful
roughly chopped
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| mixed wild mushroomscleaned and torn into bite-sized pieces | 1 pound |
| rustic country bread | 4 thick slices |
| unsalted butterdivided | 3 tablespoons |
| extra-virgin olive oil | 2 tablespoons, plus more for drizzling |
| garlicthinly sliced | 3 cloves |
| fresh thyme leaves | 1 tablespoon |
| dry white wine or dry sherry | 1/4 cup |
| Gruyere cheesecoarsely grated | 4 ounces |
| flaky sea salt | to taste |
| black pepperfreshly cracked | to taste |
| fresh flat-leaf parsleyroughly chopped | small handful |
Equipment Needed
- •Large cast iron or heavy-bottomed skillet
- •Sheet pan
- •Pastry brush
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the mushrooms
Tear the mushrooms by hand into irregular, bite-sized pieces. Do not slice them with a knife if you can help it. Torn edges caramelize better and catch more of the butter. Brush away any dirt with a dry cloth or soft brush. Never soak wild mushrooms. They absorb water like sponges and will steam instead of sear.
Different mushrooms cook at different rates. If using a mix, start with the firmest varieties and add the more delicate ones toward the end. - 2
Sear the mushrooms
Heat a large skillet, cast iron if you have it, over medium-high heat. Add one tablespoon of butter and one tablespoon of olive oil. When the butter foams and the foam subsides, add the mushrooms in a single layer. Here is the hard part: leave them alone. Let them sear undisturbed for three to four minutes until golden underneath. Stir, then cook another two to three minutes. They should smell deeply earthy and look bronzed at the edges.
- 3
Add garlic and thyme
Push the mushrooms to the edges of the pan. Add another tablespoon of butter to the center and let it melt. Add the sliced garlic and thyme, stirring them in the butter for thirty seconds until fragrant. The garlic should soften but not brown. Toss everything together.
- 4
Deglaze and season
Pour in the wine. It will sizzle and steam. Scrape up any brown bits stuck to the pan. These are flavor. Let the wine cook down until nearly evaporated, about one minute. Season with flaky salt and pepper. Taste. The mushrooms should be deeply savory. Remove from heat.
- 5
Toast the bread
Position a rack six inches from your broiler and turn it to high. Brush both sides of the bread slices with the remaining olive oil. Arrange on a sheet pan and broil until golden and crisp on top, about two minutes. Flip and toast the other side. Watch carefully. Broilers are unpredictable. Rub one side of each warm toast lightly with a halved garlic clove if you want more depth.
Good bread matters enormously here. Look for a rustic loaf with an open crumb and a sturdy crust, something from a bakery that bakes on site. - 6
Assemble and melt the cheese
Pile the warm mushrooms generously onto each toast, letting them mound in the center. Scatter the grated Gruyere over the top. Return the tartines to the broiler for one to two minutes, watching constantly, until the cheese melts, bubbles, and turns golden brown in spots. The edges should look lacy and slightly crisp.
- 7
Finish and serve
Transfer the tartines to plates. Scatter the parsley over the top. Add a drizzle of your best olive oil and a few flakes of sea salt. Serve immediately while the cheese is still molten and the bread still has its crunch. A tartine waits for no one.
Chef Tips
- •Ask your farmers market vendors what mushrooms came in this week. The best mushroom tartine is made with whatever is freshest, not whatever a recipe demands.
- •Do not crowd the pan when searing mushrooms. Work in batches if necessary. Crowded mushrooms steam and turn rubbery instead of caramelizing.
- •Gruyere melts beautifully, but aged Comté or even a good sharp cheddar from a local dairy works if that is what you have. The cheese should have character.
- •If wild mushrooms are unavailable or out of season, a mix of cremini and shiitake from a grower you trust will serve you well.
- •A simple green salad dressed with lemon and olive oil is all you need alongside. Let the tartine be the center of the meal.
Advance Preparation
- •Mushrooms can be cleaned and torn up to one day ahead. Store loosely covered in the refrigerator.
- •The sauteed mushroom mixture holds at room temperature for up to thirty minutes. Rewarm gently before assembling.
- •This dish does not hold well once assembled. The bread softens and the cheese sets. Make it, serve it, eat it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 250g)
Calories
480 calories
Total Fat
26 g
Saturated Fat
12 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
13 g
Cholesterol
55 mg
Sodium
620 mg
Total Carbohydrates
40 g
Dietary Fiber
3 g
Sugars
2 g
Protein
18 g
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