Cravings: Mushroom & Leek Torte

mushroom torte6

Did you ever crave something so badly that you can taste it?

Most people crave chocolate or potato chips.
I had a serious craving for mushrooms.

Maybe because I rarely use them in a recipe, since my husband detests them.
What a pity.

If you love mushrooms, then this recipe is a must. It is a torte, and has no real crust except for a coating of parmesan cheese (please use the good stuff).
You can use any mixture of mushrooms, wild, criminis, shitake, or just plain old button shrooms.

I added leeks to the recipe and a splash of balsamic vinegar to the hot pan.
The results were fantastic.



Mushroom & Leek Torte: (inspired from Living and Eating Cookbook)

16oz. package wild mushroom mix, sliced
2 large leeks (or 4 small ones), washed & trimmed, saving only the white parts, sliced thin
3 large eggs, beaten
2 cups of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
3 tbsp butter
olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt & pepper

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Brush an 8" springform pan with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter to grease.
Sprinkle the greased pan with a dusting of parmesan cheese to coat.
This will be your crust!

In a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 tbsp of butter with some olive oil and on medium-high heat, cook the leeks and mushrooms until they start to caramelize, about 8-10 minutes.
At the very end of cooking, splash with the balsamic vinegar.



In a food processor, pulse half of the cooked leek and mushroom mixture until it becomes a paste consistency.

Combine the mushroom puree with the remaining solid mushroom leek mixture from the skillet into a large bowl.

Add 2 cups of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, the parsley, beaten eggs and heavy cream to the mushroom mixture and combine. Season with salt & pepper.

Pour into the prepared springform pan and bake on a baking sheet for 35-40 minutes until golden.



Let cool about 15 minutes, then remove the outer ring and slice.
Serve with a nice arugula salad w/ a lemon vinaigrette.



My craving has been satisfied!
This was really lovely.








Comments

lisa is cooking said…
This is a must! I do love mushrooms, and the splash of balsamic sounds great with them.
kat said…
That looks wonderful & what a shame you'll have to eat it all yourself
Foodiewife said…
Henry has no idea what he's missing out on! I love mushrooms. This torte is gorgeous-- beautiful color and this would give me my mushroom fix. Bookmarked!
I can so relate to craving things the husband won't eat.

My husband might actually eat this if I keep mum about the quantity of parmesan in it. This looks like a great Friday night meal. I definitely want to give it a try.
Pam said…
I am loving this recipe - it looks so delicious.
Dana said…
I don't know what I would do if Randy didn't like mushrooms - he likes them more than me! I love crustless pies like this and leeks and mushrooms together are fantastic.
Anonymous said…
mushy?
Catherine said…
YUM! I am making this one asap.
Estrella Damm said…
It looks pretty good. I'm in the camp of people that detest mushrooms though.
Dewi said…
I love mushroom so much. I can probably survive just eating mushroom and bread. Your torte look scrumptious Stacey!
noble pig said…
I could see craving mushrooms, very nice.
Stacey Snacks said…
Dear Anonymous,
No, not mushy at all.
In fact, once it cools, it is quite firm.

Stacey
Jen_from_NJ said…
You're not alone - I'm a mushroom craver! Looks delicious!
This looks like an excellent recipe. I adore mushrooms, and this looks like a wonderfully rustic way to prepare them!
Whats wrong with that Henry, look what he's missing. T hated peas for years, but I won him over, there's still hope for Hen.
My husband's the same way - hates mushrooms, so I never get to have them :-(

This sure looks great! Love mushrooms, love leeks.
The JR said…
Mushrooms, so good. Love them. Bet this is great.