Mushroom Toast by Heather

Sometimes the best meals come about by cleaning out the fridge.  Last night, I had a bunch of shiitake mushrooms, some bread, and a lot of cheese, so I decided to make mushroom toast.  The best mushroom toast I've had is in Venice, CA at Gjelina, and this is my take.

This recipe is very versatile.  If you don't have all the ingredients below, you can substitute for whatever you have in your fridge.

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. shiitake mushrooms, rubbed clean with a lightly damp paper towel, and roughly chopped
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbs. olive oil
1 tbs. cider vinegar (any type of vinegar will do)
1/4 cup red wine
1/4 cup ricotta (you could also use greek yogurt)
1/3 cup milk (can be any kind- obviously the higher the fat, the more creamy this will be)
1/4 cup feta (you could also use goat cheese)
truffle salt to taste (you could also use truffle oil)
1 tbs, parsley or chives
loaf of bread, cut into slices and toasted or grilled- I used a rosemary sourdough boule



Add the olive oil to a medium sauté pan, and once pan is hot, add the onions and garlic.  Saute until onions are translucent, about 3 minutes.  Add in the shiitake mushrooms, sprinkle with sea salt and pepper, and add in the cider vinegar.  Saute for 4 more minutes or until mushrooms are soft.  Add in the wine and scrape up any browned bits.  Add in the milk and ricotta, and let the sauce simmer until it thickens for 3-4 minutes.

Add in the feta and stir until it melts.  Reduce heat to low, and prepare the bread while the mixture continues to simmer.

Serve the mushroom mixture on top of the toast and sprinkle with herbs and a generous amount of truffle salt.