Mushroom Ragu on Crostini

I made bread today (Ann's French bread recipe, as usual).  It seemed to turn out even better than usual, so I wanted to use it in my dinner tonight.  I was stumped for awhile until I remembered a recipe I wanted to try from the the cookbook my sister bought for me, Hudson Valley Mediterranean - The Gigi Good Food Cookbook.  I love this cookbook - so many wonderful recipes.  One of the ones that really appealed to me was the Mushroom Ragu.  I unfortunately didn't have the variety suggested in the recipe (different oyster mushrooms) - I only had button mushrooms, but the sauce adds so many wonderful flavor elements that marry so well together.  There's a mellow yet brightness to the flavors.

I sliced thin slices off of a baguette I had just made and toasted them under the broiler before topping with the mushroom ragout.  A little extra Parmigiana-Reggiano over that, a couple of minutes under the broiler, and the real tasting began... I was in heaven!  So good.  The warm, delicious creamy sauce and mushrooms were exactly what I needed for this chilly day.  You could also use grilled polenta rounds or softer bruschetta bread slices.  You won't be sorry!

Mushroom Ragu

1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup chopped shallots (about 4)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups chopped blue oyster mushrooms (about 6 ounces, trimmed; 8 ounces, untrimmed)
2 cups chopped orange oyster mushrooms (about 6 ounces, trimmed; 8 ounces, untrimmed)
2 cups chopped shiitake mushrooms (about 6 ounces, trimmed; 8 ounces, untrimmed)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 cup grated Fontina cheese
1/2 cup grated Grana Padano or Parmesan cheese

Heat the oil in the largest skillet you have over medium heat.  Add the shallots and garlic and cook until the shallots are translucent and the garlic is just starting to brown, 3 to 4 minutes.  Increase the heat to medium-high and add the mushrooms, a little at a time, adding more as they cook down and start to shrink.  Season with salt and pepper to taste, and keep stirring until the mushrooms begin to brown, 8 to 10 minutes.  Then deglaze the skillet with the white wine, and cook until the liquid has reduced to a few glossy tablespoons, 1 to 2 minutes.  Stir in the cream, rosemary, and lemon zest.  Remove the skillet from the heat, mix in both cheeses, and taste again for salt and pepper.  Serve immediately or refrigerate the mushroom ragu for a few days and reheat it over a gentle flame with a touch of broth or cream.

Source:   Hudson Valley Mediterranean, The Gigi Good Food Cookbook, copyright 2009

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