This recipe was discovered when I had a box of mushrooms I had to use up immediately in my refrigerator. I was teaching a class soon on poaching with olive oil and was hoping I can come up with a mushroom topping that was unique.
My recipes often come to me in the middle of the night, so I always have a pad of paper next to my nightstand to jot down new cooking ideas, or what ever is on my mind that night.
Poaching is a chapter in our cookbook, so I’m always curious what else I can poach? Yup, I poached the mushrooms and they were delicious. If you don’t like rosemary, try any other herb you may have, such as thyme.
Here are a few ways to incorporate these mushrooms in your dishes:
- Make a mushroom tart using sauteed onions or leeks and a goat cheese base.
- Add to your pasta salads, pizzas, and grilled cheese sandwiches.
- Serve as an appetizer with toasted bread.
- Make a crostini with goat cheese and chopped mushrooms on top. Drizzle with oil.
I chose baby portobello mushrooms and buttons. But you can choose any mushroom that can stand up to being poached.
- 2 lbs. button and mixed mushrooms, washed and stems removed
- ½ cup or more extra virgin olive oil
- 1 sprig of rosemary
- 2 leeks, washed and thinly sliced in rounds
- 16 oz. goat cheese (room temperature)
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 eggs
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ cup parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
- ½ lb. phyllo dough, defrosted (1/2 box)
- ¼ butter, melted
- 1 package of puff pastry , defrosted
- In a large straight-sided skillet place pan over over medium- high heat, bring the olive oil to a slight simmer and reduce to medium. Do not boil.
- Add the mushrooms and thyme, cook until exterior of the mushroom softens, about 4 minutes.
- Remove and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain. Set the oil aside.
- As an appetizer, place the mushrooms in a bowl and drizzle the poached oil on the mushrooms and serve.
- Butter a ½ sheet pan (9x13) with butter. Add one phyllo sheet and brush with butter. Continue with all the sheets, buttering after each layer.
- Open 1 sheet carefully, and place in the sheet pan. If needed gently spread the dough to the edges.
- In a small bowl combine the cheese, milk, and eggs and pepper. Spread over phyllo .
- Add the mushrooms and leeks.
- Bake at 350 degrees until phyllo/ puff pastry is slightly brown around 15-20 minutes.
- Top with the parsley and thyme. Sprinkle with extra virgin olive oil.
- Cut into bite-size pieces and serve warm.
Poaching is a creative cooking technique to bring out the flavor of the ingredients your cooking as well as the flavors of the olive oil. Use a high quality extra virgin olive oil when poaching. Or try a infused oil for a unique added bonus to your flavors.
You may enjoy my cookbook for further recipes on olive oil.
© 2015 – 2019, Mary Papoulias-Platis. All rights reserved.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I poach octopus but have never used this technic for mushrooms.
I can imagine how tender and delicious they are!
Thank you Mary, for a great idea/recipe!
Oooh! Poached octopus sounds amazing! I’ll need to play around with that recipe. The mushrooms can eaten as is, or as a topping for pizzas, rice dishes, or pasta!
Can you recommand any kind of mushrooms to poach with olive oil ? Thanks
I used medium size portobello but white round mushroom can work as well. Good Luck!