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Mushroom Lovers' French Bread Pizzas

Ingredients

  • 8 large portobello mushroom caps

  • 1 pound button mushrooms

  • 1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms

  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), 3 turns of the pan

  • 2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped

  • Salt and pepper

  • 1/2 cup dry white wine, (eyeball it)

  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, (eyeball it)

  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves, 4 sprigs stripped and chopped

  • 1 loaf crusty French bread, 24 inches

  • 3 cups shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese

Directions

Wipe mushrooms clean with a damp towel. Slice the mushrooms. Heat a deep skillet with EVOO and butter over medium heat. When butter melts into oil, add bay, garlic and mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms are dark and tender, 12-15 minutes.

Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper and add wine. Deglaze the pan with wine, eyeball the amount. Shake the pan and add the Worcestershire and thyme. Turn off heat.

Pre-heat broiler and split the loaf lengthwise and across. Hollow out a bit of the soft insides. Toast the bread lightly under broiler. Fill bread with mushrooms evenly then top with cheese liberally. Melt cheese until it browns and bubbles then remove the pizzas from the oven and turn off the broiler.