Chef Marcell Davidsen's Mushroom Toast

Executive Chef Marcell Davidsen of Community Table in Washington, CT has given us the recipe for the perfect (we hate to say it) summer to fall dish. As the summer winds down, we're all going to soon be reaching for comfort food, and this mushroom toast with herb oil will hit the spot. 

Mushroom Toast with Herb Oil
 

Serves 2 as an appetizer
 

Ingredients 

1 slice of good bread
1 tbsp grape seed oil
2 tbsp butter, divided
2 cups of mushrooms of your choosing (I used Chanterelles and Hen of the Wood, but any type of mushrooms work) 
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Pinch of fresh thyme
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
Chive blossoms or onion flowers for garnish (look for them at your local farmers market)
Drizzle of herb oil (recipe follows)
 

Herb Oil

250g dill (While dill is used for this recipe, fennel, parsley and nasturtium are great alternatives)
500g any neutral oil (such as grape seed oil)

Roughly pick the dill from its larger stems. Wash and dry the dill thoroughly. Put it in a blender with the oil and blend for 20 minutes. Strain through a sieve or cheesecloth into a container. Discard the dill remnants. Use oil immediately or refrigerate. 
 

Instructions

Grill a piece of bread on both sides.
Meanwhile, get a pan really really hot on the stovetop.
Add the grape seed oil.
Add 1 tbsp of butter and the mushrooms.
Cook the mushrooms on full heat till they get a little color.
Add the other tbsp of butter and once you see color on the mushrooms, season them with salt and pepper.
Now, add the cream and Worcestershire sauce and let it all reduce until the cream is coating the mushrooms.
Then, add the vinegar and more salt and pepper to taste, and finish with a little fresh picked thyme.
Pour the mixture on the piece of grilled bread and garnish with chive blossoms or onion flowers.
Finally, drizzle a little herb oil on top.