Sautéed Mushroom Tartine

Hey, you. Yes, YOU. How are you? Feeling good, loving life, ready to eat?

If you’re anything like me, you’re thinking about your next meal WHILE YOU EAT YOUR CURRENT MEAL. There’s no shame in it, just call it “being prepared for your future.”

When my husband and I know we have a date night coming up, we research the hell out of where we are going to eat. We love trying new places, especially since there are so many in our city of Tampa, and I have to stalk the menu in the hours leading up to feasting. We recently went to a local favorite, Rooster & the Till in Seminole Heights.

Chef Ferrell Alvarez is a locally recognized and respected chef who was also recognized by the James Beard Foundation as one of the Best Chef Semifinalists. His creativity with the food served at Rooster & the Till has earned him rave remarks from local foodies and it seems that this restaurant is just as busy now as when it first opened back in 2013! For a restaurant to be that much in demand five years into its existence is saying something.

What it’s saying is that Chef Alvarez is big on locally grown ingredients. It says that the farm to table movement is not slowing down, and certainly not going away. It says that the care and selection and creation of dishes shines through for their appreciative guests.

Chef Alvarez, along with the other Best Chef Semifinalists across the United States, are participating in “Rediscovering America,” an innovative culinary program aimed at showcasing Walmart’s commitment to supporting local farmers, as well as chefs both in our restaurants and in our homes. By participating, they are featuring fresh, affordable and locally grown produce from Walmart in their restaurants over the summer.

In Tampa, Walmart ^[4] supplied white, baby bella/cremini and portabella mushroom caps from Monterey Mushrooms® of Zellwood, FL to Chef Alvarez to be used in a tartine that we had at Rooster & the Till that was so out-of-this-world amazing! It is a tartine of smoked mushrooms, duxelle, bleu cheese, balsamic gel, topped with dressed leaves.

I loved this dish so much, I attempted my own version at home. It turned out so good, and came together so quickly. A tartine is kind of like an open-faced sandwich so after I toasted my bread, I spread a generous layer of goat cheese on top.

There is ALWAYS room for goat cheese in your life. And trust me, the mushrooms pair really well with it.

For the mushrooms, I sautéed them in butter and olive oil until they were semi-browned (do not salt yet, as salt brings out the water in mushrooms and prevents nice browning), then added thyme and minced shallot and allowed all the flavors to marry while the mushrooms continued to brown and the shallots softened. Add a splash of balsamic and thank me later.

You’ll want to salt once the mushrooms are ready for plating. You’ll retain the browned areas while enhancing the flavor! At this point, feel free to add some red pepper flakes for heat too.

Lastly, we are going to massage some kale with olive oil and balsamic vinegar until a little tender, then top on the mushrooms. Pat yourself on the back for a job well done. You’re going to love this sautéed mushroom tartine!

And just like that: proof that real, local, sustainable food doesn’t have to be complicated. It doesn’t have to be a part of an expensive dish, or be so refined that it makes you shy away. Local food, like these mushrooms, can be used in a variety of dishes, depending on your mood and your personal cooking style. And, with locally produced ingredients, you can always taste the difference.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Walmart. The opinions and text are all mine.

Print Recipe ^[5]

Sautéed Mushroom Tartine

Yield: 2 tartines

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil + more for kale topping
• 8 oz baby bella
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
• 1/2 shallot, minced
• Splash of balsamic vinegar + more for kale topping
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
• 4 oz log of goat cheese
• Handful of kale, stem removed and torn into pieces
• 2 pieces of toasted bread

Directions:

1. In a medium skillet over medium heat, add the butter and olive oil. Once the butter is melted, add the mushrooms and cook until a little browned. Add the thyme and shallots and cook until shallots are softened. Remove from heat, then add desired salt and pepper, plus red pepper flakes if you'd like some heat.
2. Spread goat cheese in a thick layer over each piece of toasted bread. Top with mushroom mixture.
3. To make the kale topping: add handful of torn kale to a bowl, then massage with a splash each of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Top on mushroom mixture.