Taleggio cheese toastie with mushroom

Tam West

Ingredients

100 g	Butter, softened
1	Shallot, finely diced
1 clove	Garlic, crushed
10	Brown mushrooms, trimmed and cut in small dice (Main)
4 sprigs	Thyme leaves
2 Tbsp	Red wine
2 Tbsp	Fresh breadcrumbs
4 slices	White bread, firm and crusty
200 g	Taleggio cheese, in 3mm slices, or ask the cheese monger to do this with their wire (Main)
1 serving	Rocket leaves, or watercress leaves, dressed, for serving

Directions

1. Melt half of the butter in a pan over medium heat and add the shallot and garlic, then the mushrooms. Cook, stirring, for a minute or two until the mushroom just starts to colour, then add the thyme, salt and pepper, stir, cover with lid and cook gently for a further five minutes over low heat until very soft.
2. Add the wine, stir, and cook for another minute. Blend half of the mushroom mixture to a paste, using a stick blender in a tall container. Stir in the breadcrumbs and remaining mushroom mixture.
3. Use remaining butter to spread on 1 side of each slice of bread — the buttered sides will be the outside of the sandwiches, so place them gently, butter side down, on a clean board. Spread the mushroom mixture thickly on 2 slices. Arrange cheese on top, then place second slice of bread on top of each one, butter side out again. Toast gently in a non-stick pan or sandwich press until golden brown and cheese is melting. Serve immediately, with some dressed salad leaves.

Pantry note

Taleggio cheese is an Italian semi-soft washed-rind cheese made from cow's milk.Read more about taleggio here.