Morton's Wild Mushrooms with Garlic Butter

from Morton's Steak Bible: Recipes & Lore from the Legendary Steakhouse, by Klaus Fritsch with Mary Goodbody

Serves 6

The name of this recipe is a misnomer because we use cultivated, farm-raised mushrooms. The term wild is applied to these specialty mushrooms to differentiate them from more common white mushrooms. Cook these mushrooms as soon as you can—they don’t store well—and clean them first. The best way to clean them is to wipe them with a damp cloth or to use a soft mushroom brush. When you clean the portobellos, scrape away the dark gills on the underside with a spoon and slice off the stems. The hardest part of this recipe? In my opinion, it’s preparing the Garlic Butter! But that can be made well ahead of time and frozen to be ready when you are.

6 slices very thin white bread
6-1⁄2 ounces portobello mushrooms
4-1⁄2 ounces shiitake mushrooms
6 ounces cremini mushrooms
3⁄4 cup Garlic Butter (click on link below)

1. Preheat the oven to 400_F.

2. Lay the bread slices out on a work surface. Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter or water glass, cut out six rounds. (Discard the crusts and trimmings or use them for bread crumbs.) Transfer the rounds to a baking sheet. Bake for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the toast rounds are light golden brown and crisp. Cool on wire racks.

3. Twist or cut the stems off the portobello and shiitake mushrooms. With a spoon, scrape the gills out of the portobellos. Discard the stems or reserve for another use. Cut all the mushrooms into 1⁄4-inch-wide slices.

4. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat until warm. Add the Garlic Butter, and when it’s melted, raise the heat to medium-high. Add the mushrooms, and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the mushrooms release their liquid and are softened.

5. Spoon the mushroom mixture in equal amounts onto each toast and serve.