Prep time
5 minutes
Cook time
40 minutes
Course
Small Bites
Skill level
Beginner
Season
Spring
Serves
4
This recipe takes a few pointers from the British dish Welsh rarebit, but with a couple tweaks to make the cheese spread less overpowering. Normally, I would reach for sharp cheddar for just about any occasion, but less is more in this recipe.
The same applies for the beer portion. Traditional Welsh rarebit recipes often call for stout or strong ale, but I find that darker beers made the cheese sauce too bitter. Mild cheddar and light beer offer a good compromise with the delicate flavor of morel mushrooms. Garnish these mushroom toasts with fresh parsley or chive.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. fresh morel mushrooms
- ¾ cup light beer, heated
- 5 tbsp. butter, plus extra
- 3 tbsp. flour
- 1 large shallot, minced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 cups coarsely shredded mild white cheddar
- 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tsp. ground mustard
- Minced fresh parsley, to taste
- 4-6 large slices of crusty bread
Also works with
Preparation
- If needed, slice larger morel mushrooms into smaller pieces. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add mushrooms and cook until softened and most of the moisture has evaporated, stirring frequently.
- Add minced shallot with a generous pinch of salt and sauté for additional minute. Transfer cooked mushrooms to a bowl, scraping as much shallot out of the saucepan as possible.
- Lower heat to medium and melt remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in the saucepan. Add flour and whisk for 2 minutes. Turn heat down to low and slowly whisk in ¾ cup of hot beer to form a roux.
- Next, stir in 1½ cups of grated cheddar until fully melted and incorporated to form a thick paste—add a splash more beer if needed. Season with Worcestershire sauce and ground mustard. Take off heat.
- Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread, and toast until golden around the edges. Remove bread from oven and spread beer-cheese spread onto each slice and pile with sautéed morel mushrooms.
- If you like, sprinkle remaining grated cheddar cheese on top. Broil until cheese is melted and mushroom edges look slightly toasted. Season toasts with salt and pepper to taste, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve immediately.
Morel Mushrooms on Toast
Prep time
5 minutes
Cook time
40 minutes
Course
Small Bites
Skill level
Beginner
Season
Spring
Serves
4
This recipe takes a few pointers from the British dish Welsh rarebit, but with a couple tweaks to make the cheese spread less overpowering. Normally, I would reach for sharp cheddar for just about any occasion, but less is more in this recipe.
The same applies for the beer portion. Traditional Welsh rarebit recipes often call for stout or strong ale, but I find that darker beers made the cheese sauce too bitter. Mild cheddar and light beer offer a good compromise with the delicate flavor of morel mushrooms. Garnish these mushroom toasts with fresh parsley or chive.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. fresh morel mushrooms
- ¾ cup light beer, heated
- 5 tbsp. butter, plus extra
- 3 tbsp. flour
- 1 large shallot, minced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 cups coarsely shredded mild white cheddar
- 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tsp. ground mustard
- Minced fresh parsley, to taste
- 4-6 large slices of crusty bread
Also works with
Preparation
- If needed, slice larger morel mushrooms into smaller pieces. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add mushrooms and cook until softened and most of the moisture has evaporated, stirring frequently.
- Add minced shallot with a generous pinch of salt and sauté for additional minute. Transfer cooked mushrooms to a bowl, scraping as much shallot out of the saucepan as possible.
- Lower heat to medium and melt remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in the saucepan. Add flour and whisk for 2 minutes. Turn heat down to low and slowly whisk in ¾ cup of hot beer to form a roux.
- Next, stir in 1½ cups of grated cheddar until fully melted and incorporated to form a thick paste—add a splash more beer if needed. Season with Worcestershire sauce and ground mustard. Take off heat.
- Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread, and toast until golden around the edges. Remove bread from oven and spread beer-cheese spread onto each slice and pile with sautéed morel mushrooms.
- If you like, sprinkle remaining grated cheddar cheese on top. Broil until cheese is melted and mushroom edges look slightly toasted. Season toasts with salt and pepper to taste, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve immediately.