MENU No. 15
How about we do something a bit out of the ordinary tonight?
Entertaining, laying a lovely table, serving something that really makes an impression…
A complete menu, including the recipes, the shopping list and my plan of action.
Almost everything is prepared in advance.
Your guests are seated.
You too.
Croustades of Mushrooms (traditional method & Thermomix)
Description
When we have guests at home, I like to offer a nice variety of aperitifs.
Of course, there are always olives, cherry tomatoes and cubes of cheese or sausage - I love serving them.
But from time to time, I also like to prepare a more elaborate bite.
If we're having raclette or fondue, I often prefer a generous aperitif rather than one followed by a starter. And these little mushroom croustades are just divine.
Before I discovered Swedish crispbread, I used to make my own cups from white bread. So I'm including this version in the recipe, just in case you can't get your hands on the ready-to-fill croustades.
Ingredients
Instructions
-
TRADITIONAL METHOD
-
Traditional preparation
-
Cups of white bread (if you can't find croustades)
- Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Roll out the slices of white bread with a rolling pin to make them thinner.
- Cut 7 cm circles from the slices of white bread.
- Make a small notch on the edge of each circle to make it easier to place them in the moulds without tearing them.
- Gently line lightly greased mini-muffin tins with these circles, then press them down with the handle of a knife to form cups.
- Bake for 10 mins until golden brown. Leave to cool.
-
Mushroom filling
- Fry the shallots in the butter for 1 minute.
- Add the mushrooms and simmer over a medium heat, uncovered, until all the liquid has evaporated.
- Remove from the heat and add the flour, then the crème fraîche, stirring constantly.
- Return to the heat for about 1 minute, until thickened.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the herbs, lemon and spices.
- Leave to cool.
-
Finish
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Fill the croustades with the mushroom filling.
- Sprinkle with chopped parsley and grated Parmesan.
- Bake for 10 minutes on a lightly greased baking tray.
- Serve hot.
-
Tip
- The crumble bases can be prepared in advance and frozen.
- Freeze them in the mini-muffin moulds. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag.
- Before use, allow to defrost completely, then reheat in the oven.
- White bread cups stay crisp and hold better in the hand than store-bought croustades, which tend to soften quickly.
- They are also slightly less fatty.
-
THERMOMIX® METHOD
-
Thermomix variant
- Add the shallots and mushrooms to the Thermomix bowl. Chop for 3 seconds on speed 5.
- Add the butter and sauté the mixture for 3 min / 100 °C / reverse / speed 1.
- Cook for a further 4 min / Varoma / reverse / speed 1 without a measuring cup, to allow the liquid to evaporate.
- Add the flour and mix for 10 sec / reverse / speed 3.
- Add the crème fraîche and cook for 3 mins / 90°C / reverse / speed 2 without the measuring cup, until the filling has thickened.
- Add the herbs, lemon juice and cayenne pepper. Blend for 10 sec / reverse / speed 2.
- Transfer to a bowl. Leave to cool and refrigerate if necessary until ready to serve.
-
Finish
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Fill the croustades with the mushroom filling.
- Sprinkle with chopped parsley and grated Parmesan.
- Bake for 10 minutes on a lightly greased baking tray.
- Serve hot.
-
Tip
- The crumble bases can be prepared in advance and frozen.
- Freeze them in the mini-muffin moulds. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag.
- Before use, allow to defrost completely, then reheat in the oven.
