How to Make Chanterelle Toasts
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2024 – Sometime around the beginning of July here in Southeastern Ontario, the chanterelle season begins. In many a’ mixed hardwood forest, small orange buttons begin to pop up around pockets of the forest floor where the sun breaks through the canopy. Their bright orange/yellow colour makes them extremely easy to spot amongst last year’s leaf litter and the lush green grasses that are now growing. It’s very often the case that if you find one, you’ll find many more within a stone’s throw of where you’re standing. On a good day, you can fill your basket, and your hat, and your shirt, with ample amounts of these little golden gems. What’s even better, is now that you’ve found this spot, you can come back, year after year, with a high likelihood of finding a similar bounty in the same area. If it’s a good season, this might continue through mid-August before the forest floor goes quiet on this species for another year.
Chanterelles are one of the most versatile wild mushrooms out there. Their firm texture and mild and elegant taste lend itself wonderfully to just about any mushroom dish under the sun; a star in pasta dishes, risottos, soups, on pizza or simply fried with garlic and butter. There’s really no wrong way to cook a chanterelle.
Generally, the very first thing I make each season are these tasty little toasts. This delectable appetizer will garner rave reviews at any sort of mid-summer function you might be attending, and it all comes together very quickly. It’s also a great way to get the most out of a relatively small harvest of this wild wonder. Share it with friends or do as I do and make up a batch and indulge in this earthy and herbaceous summer snack all by yourself with a glass of crisp, white wine.
Makes: 4-6 servings
Duration: 20 mins
Also Make With: hedgehog mushrooms, king oyster/trumpet mushrooms
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Chanterelle Toasts
4
servings10
minutes20
minutesKeep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
1 Pound Chanterelles, Torn into Pieces
½ Baguette, Sliced on the Bias
2 Tbsp Fat of Choice (Butter/Lard/Oil etc.)
1 Small Shallot, Minced
1 Bulb Garlic, Mince all but One Clove
1 Tbsp Fresh Tarragon, Chopped
1 Tbsp Fresh Lovage, Chopped (optional, or substitute with celery leaves)
1 tsp Fresh Thyme, Chopped
2 Green Onions, Chopped
¼ Cup Manchego cheese, Grated (substitute with Parmesan or Asiago)
Salt and Pepper to taste
- To Garnish
Small Bunch of Chives, Minced
Small Bunch of Parsley, Chopped
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
Place slices of baguette directly onto the oven rack and toast lightly, until golden brown. Do NOT over-toast as these will be returned to the oven later. (About 7-10 mins.) - In a large skillet, over medium heat, melt fat and add garlic and shallots, sweat until slightly translucent. (About 2 mins.)
- Add Chanterelles, applying a good amount of salt and pepper, sauté for a few minutes then add chopped herbs, continuing to cook mushrooms until tender. (About 5-7 mins.)
- Stir in chopped green onions and remove from heat.
- Remove toasts from oven and rub both sides of each piece with garlic bulb and arrange on a baking sheet.
- Spoon onto each toast a good amount of cooked Chanterelle. Top with grated Manchego and return to oven just long enough to melt cheese. (About 1-2 mins.)
- Garnish with parsley and chives and serve immediately.
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