Would this be a good place to admit that I only moderately enjoy sandwiches? I know, what kind of monster says such things! But, wait, come back. What I mean is, it’s the proportions: too much bread, too little filling. The obvious solution would be Dagwoods or sandwiches from one of those Jewish delis that are taller than your glass of Cel-Ray, but what if you didn’t want to have to unhinge your jaw just to take a bite?
My solution, as ever, is to serve them open-faced, piled high and with ideal proportions. If we were in Paris — and oh, I wish I were — we’d call them tartines. My brain is clearly already there because I modeled this “toast” on a croque monsieur (which I just learned, to my delight, translates as “gentleman crunch”), those cheese-coated, pan-fried ham and cheese sandwiches with frico for miles. I’m partial to the forestier-style croque at Buvette, where mushrooms take the place of ham and there’s a thick, Dijon-rich bechamel underneath (where a cold sandwich might enlist mayo or aioli). My open-faced version uses a whole-grain sourdough bread as a foundation and so much cheese on top that it spills down onto the baking sheet and lifts off in crispy flakes. I honestly don’t know why we’d ever want to eat anything else.
Previously
One year ago: Spring Chicken Salad Toasts
Two years ago: Baked Chickpeas with Pita Chips and Yogurt and Carrot-Graham Layer Cake
Three years ago: Wholegrain Cinnamon Swirl Bread
Four years ago: Lentil and Chickpea Salad with Feta and Tahini
Five years ago: Raspberry Coconut Macaroons
Six years ago: Spaetzle
Seven years ago: Romesco Potatoes and Hazelnut Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
Eight years ago: Beef Empanadas and Bialys
Nine years ago: Caramel Walnut Upside-Down Banana Cake and Chicken with Almonds and Green Olives
Ten years ago: Rich Buttermilk Waffles
And for the other side of the world:
Six Months Ago: Garlic Wine and Butter Steamed Clams and Baked Alaska
1.5 Years Ago: The Perfect Manhattan and Broccoli Cheddar Soup
2.5 Years Ago: Latke Waffles
3.5 Years Ago: Miso Sweet Potato and Broccoli Bowl
4.5 Years Ago: Crackly Banana Bread
Mushroom Tartines
A few notes: If your bread is on the softer side, you might want to lightly pre-toast it before adding the other ingredients. However, if it’s already quite sturdy or has a dark crust, as mine did, it’s not needed. This makes an exactly-just-right amount of bechamel (3/4 cup), I use about 1 tablespoon per slice. If you’d like more, it can easily be scaled up with 3 tablespoons each butter and flour and 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk, and a heaped tablespoon of Dijon.
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons (15 grams) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (175 ml) milk, ideally whole but lowfat should work
- A few gratings fresh nutmeg
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams) smooth Dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 pounds (680 grams) fresh mushrooms (cremini, white or a mix of wild all work), thinly sliced
- Olive oil and butter as needed
- 2 teaspoons minced mixed fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme and sage
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 pound loaf of a hearty white or whole wheat sourdough bread, in 3/4-inch slices
- 8 ounces (225 grams) coarsely grated gruyere or comte
- Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, to garnish
Sauce
Mushrooms
Assembly
Heat oven: To 425 degrees F. Line your largest baking sheet with foil. Cook the mushrooms: Wipe out skillet and heat over medium-high. Add a glug of olive oil or a mix of olive oil and butter. Once it is very hot, add 1/3 to 1/2 of mushrooms, 1/3 to 1/2 of herbs and let sear in pan until brown underneath, about 2 to 3 minutes, before stirring and continuing to cook until tender and any liquid in the pan has cooked off, about 5 minutes. Season well with salt and pepper. Repeat with remaining mushrooms.
Assemble and bake: Spread bread in one layer on prepared baking sheet. Schmear each all the way to the edges with sauce; you should have exactly enough for a thin coat on each. Heap each slice with mushrooms; use them all. Sprinkle cheese over and since the mushrooms are heaped so high, you’ll probably have to press it in a bit with your hand. You’ll be glad you got all the cheese on there.
Bake for 10 minutes, until cheese is melted all over, then transfer to the broiler and cook until tops are browned, a few minutes more (but keep an eye on it because broilers vary wildly and mine is rather weak).
To serve: Scatter with parsley and eat with a knife and fork, preferably with a big green salad on the side.
I’m so glad to hear you share my exact feeling about sandwiches! As much as I love bread, the ratio is all wrong in sandwiches – I’ve been making mine open-faced for years :)
May I be first in telling you how scrumptious that looks? I’m on it!
Yum! Can’t wait. Do you think the sauce will keep overnight in the fridge? I am the only mushroom-eater in my house so I would halve the recipe and eat it over two day (cooking the mushrooms and the sauce on the first day and toasting fresh bread on the second day, obv.)
Absolutely. Keep in mind that it will look worrisomely thick, like mayo. This schmears better. Btw, each time we’ve made these — with salad and another veg on the side — we’ve gotten two nights of dinner out of it. I just put them back in the oven for a bit until they warmed. Which is just to say: they reheat well.
Well that’s even better! Thanks!
Hey Deb,
Whenever I read recipes that suggest serving a salad on the side, am more interested in knowing what salads are in regular rotation in your house. Am not looking for exact recipes but general guidelines about what goes in your salads and quick dressings that can be reused later on.
Thank you!
In general, I’m a great big fan of whisking a little olive oil, Dijon and a white wine or champagne vinegar in the bottom of a bowl and putting arugula on top and tossing when we’re ready to eat. Salt and pepper too. If we’re being fancy, I might add thinly shaved fennel (which I prefer with lemon juice instead of vinegar) or minced shallots (to the dressing; I’m always pleased when I finely chop several at once and keep them in a jar for various things) or even a tiny dollop of mayo if I want a creamier dressing for something heartier like shaved brussels. However, I also make this totally inauthentic Caesar (loosely like this, I’ve been tweaking it for the next cookbook) that’s moved into an obsessive overdrive this year; we now keep a mega-batch of in a big jar in the fridge, it keeps forever, and use it on kale or chopped romaine and this week I’ve been adding canned, drained artichokes to the romaine. I guess I have a lot to say about salad. :)
This is very useful, thank you! Honestly, I wouldn’t mind an entire post on side salads and different variations one can come up with on the fly, with little to no prior prep :)
Oh yes, that sounds great. I think we all get into side salad ruts. :)
Agreed!
Me too! Would love to hear more about side salads. I feel like they imply simplicity, meaning basically greens and dressing. But other things like tomatoes when in season. Since it’s simple it should be really delicious. The sketching out of options that you’ve done here is already a huge help, as are the tips on shallots and vats of Caesar. I’d be grateful to hear about when you add herbs to the salad or the dressing, or anything else you want to say about side salads. Do your kids eat them? Lately mine will eat plain romaine with no dressing, which I consider sad but better than nothing. Looking forward to making this mushroom toast with salad :-)
I rarely add herbs. I like them in some things but usually find them distracting in green salads. Okay, chives are fine. Our other go-to salads are a Greek/Mediterranean/Middle Eastern/Israeli-ish tomato cucumber chop with red onion, sometimes with lemon and parsley and other times with feta and in the summer, all summer long, tomatoes, small or big, and mozzarella (this is my favorite) or burrata. Should I do a post on, like, 5 or 10 go-to salads?
I know this question wasn’t directed to me, but yes please! I’d love to see a bunch of options in one place. Thank you!
Dill in a salad is sublime to me!
Yes, yes, yes!
Yes, please!
Do it, do it!!!!!
Yes please! I am so in a side salad rut. Simple guidelines or ideas like you’ve just given are great.
Adding another yes please to this!
Yes, please!
Adding my voice to the chorus… a post on salads would be fantastic!
My partner will only eat romaine or spinach with Marzetti’s Simply Caesar dressing on it. (ugh).
That is not my style, so I get discouraged/lazy trying to do something more exciting for just myself. I make a mean homemade ranch dressing (midwestern child of the 80s, who me?); and enjoy the dijon dressing posted here years ago, but need some inspiration!
Yes, I would love this too, especially in the winter when great salad veggies are more limited. I love the crunch of added some toasted nuts to the salad, pecans, walnuts, almonds or pistachios, so even if the veggies aren’t that interesting in winter, the nuts always help.
YES to a salad post! I love all your cooking but think some side salad ideas would be amazing.
YES PLEASE! I am unnervingly fascinated by salad combinations.
Yes please! We eat various salads about 6+ times per week in our house. Would love some more inspo!
Mark Bittman did a great post all about salads years ago in the NY Times if anyone is looking for salad inspiration: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/22/dining/22mlist.html?pagewanted=all
I am SO glad to see your comments on herbs in salads. The CSA we belong to grows dill in with their mixed salad greens and I feel like a bit of a freak, picking out the fronds. I like the idea of a salad post. I have also been looking for a really good, thick, chunky, bleu cheese dressing for a long time and have never hit on just the right thing yet.
We have a swedish restaurant here in KC that serves an open faced mushroom sandwich. It is AMAZING and so satisfying.
Blue cheese dressing? Try this one (adapted, barely, from Ina) — it’s still my go-to. I’m going to work on a salad post too.
issss there any chance this post is still a possibility!? especially as we (at last!) get closer to warmth – being able to quickly do a tapas-y dinner is my go-to, and i always love having a side salad to round out the whole thing. would love to hear how you do so!
The escarole salad with your chicken Milanese post is a winner. I couldn’t find escarole so I got some mixed baby greens, subbed pumpkin seeds for the hazelnuts. The pickled onions were everything! Not your typical salad and so good! Sorry for the subs, sometimes I just use what I already have or I can’t find. :)
That’s another great one! It’s been our go-to for years for parties, although now we switch it up with the caesar-ish thing. Recipe here (for anyone reading along).
That arugula salad sounds just right with a sandwich this fatty – have you ever tried wilting your arugula? We did that (with a giant bag of arugula from a farm share) as a side dish with sauteed mushrooms stirred in and it is SO good. Can see it here mixed with the mushrooms and cheese then piled on.
I love this recipe and it looks rich and yummy and very creative. Let me go look at your other recipes too. Come check out your link today lovely!
Deb! I completely agree about only moderately liking sandwiches! I thought I was the only one. Usually it is because there is terrible deli meat (I love charcuterie and Italian cured meats, but not American style deli meat). If I had to choose between a sandwich and anything else I’ll usually choose anything else. Thanks for everything you do. I love your blog.
@Deb, if you like tartines, you might also like Welsh rarebit. Bonus, there’s a bit of ale or beer in rarebit.
Plus…if it’s only one slice of bread it feels more righteous, and then you can have 2…or so!
Yes to tartines! Le Pain Quotidien does some awesome tartines (my favorites are boeuf basilic and tomato-mozzarella-pesto). I would get one and eat half for lunch and the other half for dinner, they’re so big.
This one sounds even more decadent than those. I hadn’t considered mushrooms, but why not?
A croque monsieur is really just a French grilled cheese sandwich, but with ham inside. Because the French will always find a way to add some ham, or bacon (lardons). And a croque madame is the same thing, but with an egg on top.
I’m with you on sandwiches- they’re just so bread-y. (And I say that as someone who will never, ever, ever give up bread.) Tartines, though, are where it’s at. I love this idea of béchamel and mushroom toast. I can’t wait to make this for a lunch.
I almost always do tartines! In fact, we had a brunch this winter which was based around tartines with options. It was delicious. I’m going to make your mushroom tartines for breakfast.
I almost always make bechamel in the microwave because I hate standing and stirring in the stovetop version. Also, I use truffle salt whenever mushrooms are the star of the dish – just gives the mushroom flavor an extra boost and I adore mushroom flavor!
I’ve never seen truffle salt but I will be on the lookout for it. It sounds like a fuss free way to add another layer of flavor. Thank you for the suggestion. 😊
There’s an Ogden Nash poem about a woman whose husband pays no attention to the work and thought she puts into the dinners she serves him; one day she opens a cookbook at random “and it said Croque Monsieur, so she did,” and she lived happily ever after.
This has made my day. I’m going to look it up.
Don’t forget the egg! The original reference in “The Strange Case of Mr. Palliser’s Palate” is actually to Croques Madame. In the poem, originally published in a 1948 issue of The New Yorker (for any other crazy people who go down internet rabbit holes looking for obscure food references), it is Mr. Palliser, and not his wife, “who looked in the book for one last suggestion.”
I don’t even have words for how good this looks. Absolutely mouth watering!
Same – I don’t like the amount of bread involved in most sandwiches and I need to be dealing with AT LEAST toasted bread, preferably fried. Sadly, I’m allergic to mustard. :( But I make tartines for myself and my husband by frying his homemade baguette, topping with burrata and salt, and then mushrooms prepared the same way you do. Mmmmmmmmmmm …
These look amazing. I am so intrigued by the fact that you make a roux for the sauce. Will make a great pairing for a British IPA or a Dunkel…. Yum!
Two things – first, if you are ever in the Boston area, you must try the tartines at Commune Kitchen in Arlington, MA. They made their own bread, and their porchetta tartine is my favorite. (They make unbelievable pizza too.) Second, did your kids eat this???
The kids love this. They like mushrooms, so that made it easy. Also bread, cheese, but I guess that’s a given. They’re even dabbling in romaine salads. It’s been a lucky week.
My 2-year-old’s favorite snack right now is just raw mushrooms. I get the baby bellas. So funny! But also, GREAT because a lot of raw veggies and fruits are still too hard for her yet and are a choking hazard.
I came to your website a couple hours ago to get an idea for lunch (like you do) and I actually had everything needed to make this! It was easy and really tasty! Also I Put An Egg On It and that made this a perfect lunch! Thanks for another superb recipe!
Like Joey Tribbiani, my favorite food is sandwiches. I don’t judge others, though.
I happily had (almost) everything to make this for dinner! No herbs and I used baguette and gouda, and it was WONDERFUL. All of the components are delicious, but they came together in an exceptional weeknight dinner under 30 minutes!
This looks amazing! I can’t wait to try it out!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
I have no knead bread working on my counter and 2 kinds of mushrooms in my refrigerator so I see dinner tomorrow.
Mmmm, girl this is speaking my language. Cheese glorious cheese!
I agree that a good sandwich is hard to find. But I ADORE panini’s because the bread gets squished, crisped and flattened, and so in my opinion, solves the too much bread problem.
Oh thanks so much for posting this recipe! I adore mushrooms, and combined with gruyere cheese, Dijon bechamel, and sourdough bread all makes for a delicious dish. Will definitely give this a try, as it might be something I could adapt to serve at a drinks party, as well as scoff for brunch. Thanks again.
Deb, I have a question about roux: Do you find you need to warm the milk before you add it to the butter-flour mixture or can you drizzle it in cold? I’ve been warming it this far, but it would be so much easier if I didn’t have to.
I never dribble it in. Just pour all the cold milk over the roux and stir.
I never warm the milk before adding to a roux–too lazy, I guess. :) But it always works fine, you just have to whisk a bit.
I’ve never warmed the milk. I just pour it slowly into the roux while whisking.
Deb, you are a witch to intuit I received mixed mushrooms in my winter veggie share for which I had absolutely no plan AND splurged on a chunk of Comte because a little voice whispered in my ear it would be good for grilled cheeses- both happened yesterday, this appeared this morning and now I know what is happening for dinner.
I am so happy to see that I’m not the only one who loves and enjoy an open sandwich, I’m pre-diabetic and as much as I love bread, I can’t have a whole sandwich for that reason. So I had opted to have ” open sandwich” everywhere I go, I just eat one side only.
This recipe looks delish! I can’t wait to try it. On top of all I love mushrooms too! Thank you for this wonderful recipe.
Deb, mushrooms are my love language! This looks like the perfect thing to have for an not too heavy dinner. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
I completely agree with you about sandwiches! I always make open-faced ones at home with sourdough (not too thickly sliced) topped with thin slices of cheddar (or sometimes goat cheese), cucumber and tomatoes. So simple but so delicious!
This is everything I never knew I always wanted.
I too only moderately enjoy sandwiches.
I like the format of comments, I made it, and questions. Much more reader friendly. Maybe it’s been there a while???
This feature was added when the site was redesigned last summer. Thank you! It was a harebrained idea I had and I was excited they were able to build it.
I’m freaking out about these. Thank you for the recipe! They feel so perfect for spring. I love the idea of serving these with a salad, but since it’s spring, I’ve got to try these with a side of roasted asparagus!
It’s probably not a reference to the Dagwood sandwich shop in Bloomington, IN but man, your comment reminded me of my college days and eating those sandwiches. These sound great – I’ll eat anything on bread :)
As a former redheaded kiddo with Shirley Temple-esque curls (now a redheaded adult with just frizz :P) I love seeing photos of your daughter, they always bring a smile to my face :)
But the bread?! Would you mind telling us where it’s from? All sourdough loves (whoops, loaves!) are not alike :D
Regardless, thank you! Your cakes have saved me from my family’s curse of burnt baked goods.
Sandwiches? Nothing wrong with sandwiches that some extra filling won’t cure. The problem I’ve never solved is how to eat the result without having to take a shower afterward. /*puzzled icon here*/
I am a fool for mushrooms and this tartine looks my ideal lunch. Seeing as we are pretending to be in Paris I will have mine with a glass of champagne, merci beaucoups.
Revolution Doughnuts in Atlanta does a savory take on the Croque Monsieur and calls it “Crunchy Mister.” Let me tell you, it is just as delicious as the name is charming.
Thats what croque monsieur means?? I had no idea! Mushroom tar tines are brilliant and so are the mushrooms you used!! I am always a bit uncertain what to do with those big, just-pulled-off-the-base-of-a-tree hunk of mushrooms. Lovely!!
I might cry.
Utterly delicious! I used half baby portobellos, half shiiatakes, and dried thyme and sage. Fresh parsley at the end was not optional, IMO, because I had used dried herbs in the mushrooms. This was a most satisfying meal, meatless yet hearty. Will absolutely make again!
Could you put all this ( the sauce & mushrooms & cheese layers) in a pastry tart shell, and serve as an appetizer? Would this work?
It worked out great! We really liked it!
This recipe is great! I went to my local cheese boutique and they recommended trying Le Marechal cheese instead of comté or gruyere and it’s so incredibly delicious. It has a slightly lighter, nuttier and slightly fruity flavour. Definitely a must try!
Now folks, I gotta tell you, This was deeelicious! We had left overs that we ate cold the next day for lunch…. Still yummy.
We made this last night after getting mushrooms in our CSA two weeks in a row. YUM!
I’m with you on sandwiches. I like big hoagie style sandwiches and open faced ones. These look wonderful. I make a similar starter with goat cheese and mushrooms and it’s always a hit.
The highlight of the post is that “bite” link. She’s a doll.
Yum! Those look delicious!
I made this tonight. I had some sliced sourdough so I used that. It’s cut fairly thin but it worked well – the whole bread to food ratio was good for me. It made enough for dinner tonight with some veggies on the side and there’s enough for lunch tomorrow.
Oh my goodness this is delicious! I love it
I made this and it was delicious. A perfect croque monsieur for a meatless monday! I made extra sauce and added some leftover grated comte to it. My 6-year old loved it! I added extra dijon for the adults’ portions and went easy on it for the kids’.
We made this to accompany the first BBQ (steak) of the season and salad over the weekend. Delish!
I’m making it again tonight as an entree with a caesar salad. We used and recommend dried thyme when sauteing the mushrooms, a white cheddar (cause we had it), and omitted the fresh herbs (cause we didn’t have any). Amazing! Thanks, Deb, for all the tasty recipes!
I totally agree with the sandwich sentiment (I can be down for a well-pressed sandwich, but generally, I find them boring).
That said, these are absolutely delicious! We made a big batch of everything on Sunday, so putting it all together and putting it under the broiler for dinner is an absolute breeze. These will find a regular spot on our rotating recipe list (and would be excellent for a mostly-make-ahead breakfast with a poached egg on top).
We loved this! Perfect weeknight meal. I used 2 lbs of pre sliced baby bellas, rosemary, and a mild gruyere. I may have cooked the béchamel a little too long because it was sort of stiff and almost rubbery…but it spread nicely, so that didn’t matter in the end.
OMG! Love this!! Have made it twice already!!
Hi, Thank you for the recipe. It looks fantastic. Will try for sure.
Mushrooms are dirty! Sorry if I missed this in the comments. You don’t seem to take a stand on what to do with mushrooms. I used to brush each one, but that still leaves compost crud (what they are grown in) behind. I try washing – quickly – but then each one has to be dried to get any wet crud off and then to be sure they will saute as wet mushrooms won’t.
What do you advise?
This reminds me of a delicious sandwich from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone that has spinach and mushrooms on a toasted piece of bread. Must have both soon!
I have already made this twice, and my best friend has made it too! I have added this to my list of week night meals. Absolutely delicious!
These are DELICIOUS! We had them for lunch yesterday—wonderful. I sliced and froze the bread so I will be having a redo on Sunday, using up the leftover roux. I am sooo looking forward to Sunday now.
Your photo of the raw mushrooms looks like a still life painting. beautiful!
You are right on the mark about super high sandwiches and you’ll never see one posted on my blog. Anymore I refuse to order sandwiches out in a restaurant. I can imagine the scene: the waiter brings out a mountain of a sandwich and I ask, “Do you mind if I put the plate on my chair and sit on the sandwich so I can get it in my mouth?” Your tartine is an elegant way to eat without unhinging your jaw like a snake (they really do, our son had a boa constrictor) and still having the filling drop to your plate and lap.
I better get off my high horse but humongous sandwiches are an issue with me. Love your recipe.
The escarole salad with your chicken Milanese post is a winner. I couldn’t find escarole so I got some mixed baby greens, subbed pumpkin seeds for the hazelnuts. The pickled onions were everything! Not your typical salad and so good! Sorry for the subs, sometimes I just use what I already have or I can’t find. :)
You had me at mushrooms. I just adore them and this is my kind of lunch.I would take this over a sandwich any day. It’s bedtime here in Scotland and I am totally drooling over these. Pinning them for later. (ps I’ve been blogging 10 years too)
This was delicious—perfect dinner with a green salad. Used white sourdough bread and toasted it beforehand (essential). Probably would add a heaping tbsp of dijon next time to get a little more of that flavor, and would lather the bread with the bechamel instead of a thin layer. Minor details, but this is definitely a dish I’ll continue to make. So good.
We made this tonight as written and it was wonderful! We used a mix of wild mushrooms + cremini and shitake. The flavor of the mushrooms may have been a bit overpowered by the cheese, but it all went together beautifully and tasted incredible. I made the Tartine’s basic country loaf right beforehand, which may have helped to put it over the top….bread making is life.
Thanks: Very tasty!
I had a problem with the (slightly toasted) bread sticking to the foil ( or visa versa to be more precise)
Next time I’ll try parchment instead,or nothing…
This was great! I did pre-toast my bread a bit, because not-crunchy bread is my sandwich pet peeve. Next time, I’m going to try more mushrooms, since I didn’t have the full amount this time. Also, this was the first time I’ve ever used my broiler, and I didn’t burn anything (tartine, or house!) Thanks for the recipe!
I have made so many versions of mushroom Tartines appetizers, and every single time was a big success. This time, am following your sour dough and bechamel details for a potluck at my work for end of year(academic) party. My colleagues will love it! Thank you.
These are incredible. We’ve been eating these regularly for brunch or dinner, often with an egg on top. Leftovers heat up beautifully in the oven—we just baked them at 425º until they’re hot and bubbly again. Thanks for the recipe!!
Bizzomb. I had some prosciuotto touse up, so I roasted slices up at 425 for about 15 minutes, and added to the tartines between the béchamel and mushrooms. Thanks!!
Oh yeah. Also used up some leftover swiss cheese.
I made an inspired version of this last week, changing a lot based on what I had on hand, and our preferences. I used the increased 3 Tablespoons of butter and flour, half & half instead of milk, and regular yellow mustard instead of Dijon for the sauce. I used dried herbs: parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme [!♩!] — not a measured amount, just sprinkled a very light layer over the pan each time. Because I have a sensory issue with the rubbery/squishy mouthfeel, I cut the champignons to a tiny mince [as I do any time I use them; this takes literally hours]. I used little pumpernickel cocktail bread slices and covered a sheet pan with them like a crust, then spread the sauce over the bread, followed by a layer of sliced Swiss cheese, then the champignons, then the remainder of the cheese [21 oz total!]. The cheese browned nicely under the broiler and formed a crispy top. I cut it into squares and served it with a cold cucumber couscous salad — the acidity was a nice balance to the richness of the tart. We didn’t bother heating up the leftovers — I thought the mustard was slightly more prominent when it was cold. I make a galette with Swiss, veg “turkey”, and “honey” mustard [faux for both, since we’re vegetarian and I’m allergic to honey], and that made me think that a drizzle of honey mustard over the top, instead of mustard in the sauce, would be good here. We all loved [my version of] this recipe, and my husband has already forwarded this page to several people.
Using a food processor to mince your champignons (using the ‘pulse’ feature) might be an option for you. It’s how I prepare my mushrooms for soup and is really a time-saver!
My mother mentioned the same thing to me. I think I’ve used my food processor once in the past decade. It’s a pain to set up and clean, and I just despise it. I don’t have the counter space for it at the moment anyway, but I think once I do, I’ll try it again.
I was too lazy to make a salad so I sautéed spinach with the mushrooms. Yum!
PS – my daughter who hates mushrooms on principle not taste, is at my mom’s for Grandma summer camp. I’ve been dying to make this since March! I finally made it and my husband and I were so happy. Thank you.
Made this, except with cornmeal pizza crusts (pre-made, from whole foods) instead of toast. SO delicious. Rave reviews all around. Probably only thing I would change is more mustard and a little more salt in the sauce. It was good, but the mustard flavor was pretty subtle.
Yum! Perfect fall supper with a baby kale salad and a beer!
I’ve made this recipe so many times since you posted it… Both the way you make it (“fancy” in my terms) or a bit of a cheater way (bread in toaster, quick mushroom saute, then under the broiler for 5 min) – both are delicious! And perfect for dinner when I remember humans shouldn’t live off take out 7 days in a row… Thank you so much! Oh…and instead of salad (which I never have in the fridge), I just eat another tartine… Is that bad? :)
I just made this tonight and it took all my willpower NOT to eat it all. I’m already looking forward to the leftovers tomorrow. This will be made again!! I did 3 batches of mushrooms. In the last one, I added a clove (about 1 tsp) of garlic. It added a great flavor without overpowering it.
I made these last night and they were FANTASTIC. I used a lovely sourdough, creminis, and a sharp cheddar – I also added four or so cloves of garlic to the mushrooms because I couldn’t help myself. I found the parsley garnish crucial, and paired it with an arugula salad – so so good. Will probably be having leftovers tonight.
Mmm absolutely love the look of these! I’ve been looking for something a bit wintery to make for a dinner party and I think these would be perfect!
Another winner! Saw it on Instagram and had to try. Followed recipe exactly. Thank you for the steady stream of delicious vegetarian recipes.
I made this as an appetizer for dinner last night. It was a huge hit. I used shitakes and I will never cook mushrooms any other way ever again! I’ve never had such silky mushrooms in my life. I think this could win over the most adament mushroom hater! I’m thinking of using these mushrooms on polenta, over risotto, pasta, grain bowls, salads, with eggs, the possibilities are endless! I will also definitely make this tartine recipe again!
i love making this. I have made bechamel at 6 in the morning to eat this. Some changes and suggestions. Roast mushrooms unseasoned at 425 to cook off most of their water. This may take a couple or few of batches. Saute limp mushrooms in olive oil and butter with a little shallot and the herbs while fully seasoning. The mushrooms will brown and absord some of the butter. The herbs will open up. Make the bechamel in the pan AFTER the mushrooms have been cooked. Whisking the bechamel will pick up all the mushroom bits left in the pan. Things you might add to the assembly – thin slice of ham under the cheese or a julienne of pear or a drizzle of honey.
I’ve made this several times and always like it. But friends – get ready to have your minds blown. Tonight we had some prosciutto in the fridge and added a couple slices. Oh. My. Goodness. Bread, béchamel, prosciutto, mushrooms, cheese. Holy crow. Try this if prosciutto is your jam because this is a whole new level of delicious here!
do you have fave nyc hearty loaves? :)
I made your recipe last night, with a big salad.
I can tell you that these sandwiches were a great success, it did not stay, and yet I did a lot, hoping it remains for breakfast ….
A remake and do not forget to hide a few slices!
Thank you very much for this excellent recipe
We’re throwing a large party in two weeks and I’m considering these. They look and sound delicious. Can they be served at room temperature or should they be warm? At our party last year I spent too much time on food and not enough enjoying company. This year I’m hoping to make most things in advance. All hearty appetizers, finger foods and snacks.
We had the version I made warm, room temp, and cold from the fridge and it was good all three ways. As I stated in my post above, I thought the mustard was more prominent the colder it got. And, of course, the cheese will change texture with the temperature. But I don’t see any reason why you couldn’t serve it room temp.
I’m thinking these would be fabulous appetizers, cut smaller. A two-bite version, for parties!
At first I thought “this needs garlic,” but I trusted the recipe. Glad I did, because I think garlic would’ve been overpowering. Very tasty!
I’ve made this recipe numerous times, and it’s always delicious. Last night I had some leftover polenta, so I cut it into squares and fried it. It melted a bit, but the edges got very crispy. I followed the rest of the recipe as written, but once most of the liquid from the mushrooms was cooked off, I added a little sherry and a splash of balsamic vinegar, then reduced that down, I put a smear of the sauce on each of the polenta cakes, piled on the mushrooms and cheese, and put the Tartines under the broiler for a few minutes. OMG, it was so good! You have to try this, you’ll love it!
OMG..made this and it was wonderful. Thanks!
I made this last night for dinner, and just reheated the leftovers for lunch. It’s delicious, and will be in my regular rotation from now on. Normally, I stick to the recipe the first time around, but I had some leftover roasted garlic butter mushrooms (https://smittenkitchen.com/2010/12/garlic-butter-roasted-mushrooms/) and used them, topped with gruyere.
I’m looking at buying your books, is this recipe in any of them please?
No, this recipe is only on the website. You can find a list of recipes in each book here: https://smittenkitchen.com/books/cookbook-recipe-index/?
Can’t wait to try this! And I love “broilers vary wildly” beautiful way to state an absolute truth and help people achieve the best result
I also only like open-faced sandwiches. This recipe is scrumptious. I love mushrooms and this was sooooooo good. I don’t eat meat except for chicken, seafood, and fish and I do eat a lot mushrooms – I have been roasting them with chopped veggies on top of flatbread.
Thank you for sharing this mouth-drooling recipe.