«What if you were the one to extend the invitation?»
The friends we’d like to see more often may simply be waiting for someone to extend an invitation.
There’s no need to wait for a special occasion. Just being together is occasion enough.
A late-summer dinner for 8 people, planned so that most of the work is done before your guests arrive.
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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
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TRADITIONAL METHOD
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Traditional preparation
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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THERMOMIX® METHOD
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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.
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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.
