Ingredients:
For the spread
3/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 1/2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
1 teaspoon dark agave nectar
Fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
For the toast
1 pound wild mushrooms, such as shiitake, maitake, chestnut, or chanterelle
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing the bread
Kosher salt
1 cup finely chopped leek (about 1 medium)
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
4 thick slices sourdough or other rustic bread
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
Flaky sea salt
Freshly ground white pepper
Directions:
Make the spread: In a small skillet, toast pine nuts over medium-high heat until they turn golden brown. (About 3 minutes) Transfer to a mortar and pound to a paste. Add the olive oil, mustard, agave, pinch of salt, pinch of white pepper and stir to combine.
Make the toast: Clean the mushrooms. Remove any tough stems and, depending on what type of mushrooms you are using, chop larger mushrooms to ensure all the pieces are fairly uniform in size.
In a cast-iron skillet, warm 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the mushrooms and a generous pinch of salt, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Cook, stirring often and scraping the pan, until the liquid released by the mushrooms has fully evaporated and the mushrooms are starting to brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, transfer the mushrooms to a medium bowl, and set aside.
In the same skillet, warm the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-low heat until shimmering. Add the leek and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the thyme and a pinch of salt and cook until the leek is browning and smells fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
Position an oven rack about 6 inches from the broiler heat element and preheat the broiler to high.
Arrange the bread on a baking sheet and broil until golden brown. Flip the bread and broil for about 30 seconds on the second side; take it out of the oven quickly so it doesn’t burn.
To serve, arrange toast slices onto plates and brush with olive oil. Add pine nut spread and top with leek mixture. Garnish lightly with tarragon. Season with salt and white pepper.
Enjoy with a salad!
Reprinted with permission from Chef Bryant Terry – Vegetable Kingdom Cookbook