Tuesday, April 6, 2021

Mushroom Goat Cheese Crostini #recipe by @LeslieBudewitz


LESLIE BUDEWITZ:  So many signs of spring in these parts: The ice breaking up on the driveway. The ice tumbling off the roof. The ice melting on . . .

You get the idea.

As I write this, on the first official day of spring, there’s another sign of hope: One of Mr. Right’s patients has brought him the first goat cheese of the season. She raises Toggenburg goats and makes her cheese with just a little rennet, creating a creamy, spreadable cheese with a tang that mixes well with any fresh herb. We had a few crimini mushrooms and a baguette, and voilà! Instant appetizer. Well, almost instant. There is a little prep involved, but not much.

If your goat cheese is on the firm side, whip it with an immersion blender or in a small food processor until it’s nicely spreadable. Add a little milk if necessaary. Mix in herbs if you’d like. 

I haven’t included amounts because baguettes vary—some are thinner, some fatter, and mushroom sizes vary. And some of us like more stuff on our toasts than others. Expect a medium mushroom to top 2-3 slices of a typical baguette. More or less. 

I used parsley, but any fresh herb or combination will do nicely. I suppose it just depends how far along spring is in your neck of the woods! 

Mushroom Goat Cheese Crostini

baguette, sliced

olive oil

crimini mushrooms, washed, trimmed, and thinly sliced

garlic, minced

parsley, finely chopped, or other fresh herbs

goat cheese, plain or herbed

Heat oven to 300 degrees. Slice bread and brush with olive oil. Bake 3-5 minutes a side, depending on the size of your baguette and how crisp you’d like your toasts.

Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add the sliced mushrooms and spread to a single layer. When they begin to turn color, in 2-3 minutes, add a little minced garlic. Turn the mushrooms and continue sauteeing until they begin to turn golden, another 2-3 minutes. You don’t want them to become mushy or begin to release water. Toss in a little chopped parsley. Remove from heat.

Spread your crostini with goat cheese. Top with a spoonful of mushrooms and sprinkle with more parsley.




Enjoy! 

From the cover of BITTERROOT LAKE, written as Alicia Beckman (coming April 13, 2021 from Crooked Lane Books in hardcover, ebook, and audio): 

When four women separated by tragedy reunite at a lakeside Montana lodge, murder forces them to confront everything they thought they knew about the terrifying accident that tore them apart, in Agatha Award-winning author Alicia Beckman's suspense debut.

Twenty-five years ago, during a celebratory weekend at historic Whitetail Lodge, Sarah McCaskill had a vision. A dream. A nightmare. When a young man was killed, Sarah's guilt over having ignored the warning in her dreams devastated her. Her friendships with her closest friends, and her sister, fell apart as she worked to build a new life in a new city. But she never stopped loving Whitetail Lodge on the shores of Bitterroot Lake.

Now that she's a young widow, her mother urges her to return to the lodge for healing. But when she arrives, she's greeted by an old friend--and by news of a murder that's clearly tied to that tragic day she'll never forget.

And the dreams are back, too. What dangers are they warning of this time? As Sarah and her friends dig into the history of the lodge and the McCaskill family, they uncover a legacy of secrets and make a discovery that gives a chilling new meaning to the dreams. Now, they can no longer ignore the ominous portents from the past that point to a danger more present than any of them could know.


Leslie Budewitz is the author of the Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries and the Spice Shop Mysteries, and the winner of Agatha Awards in three categories. Death al Dente, the first Food Lovers' Village Mystery, won Best First Novel in 2013, following her 2011 win in Best Nonfiction. Her first historical short story, "All God's Sparrows," won the 2018 Agatha Award for Best Short Story. Watch for her first standalone suspense novel, Bitterroot Lake (written as Alicia Beckman) in April 2021 from Crooked Lane Books.

A past president of Sisters in Crime and a current board member of Mystery Writers of America, she lives in northwest Montana with her husband, a musician and doctor of natural medicine, and their cat, an avid bird-watcher.

Swing by her website and join the mailing list for her seasonal newsletter. And join her on Facebook where she shares book news and giveaways from her writer friends, and talks about food, mysteries, and the things that inspire her.

8 comments:

  1. How lucky you are to be the recipient of that lovely homemade cheese!

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  2. 😱 this sounds delicious! I recently discovered a Water Buffalo farm near me. I’ll be getting mozzarella cheese from them in a few weeks. Exciting 😁
    Joliver284@yahoo.com

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    1. I foresee Caprese salad and Caprese chicken in your future!

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  3. Yum. I could make a meal off this!

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  4. This does sound divine! Fresh goat cheese? Aren't you privileged! AKA lucky

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