(adapted from Bistro Cooking at Home by Gordon Hamersley
Serves 6
4 whole heads garlic
4 Tbls. extra-virgin olive oil, plus 2 Tbls. more for roasting garlic heads
2 Tbls. unsalted butter
1 lb. mixed wild and cultivated mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and thickly sliced
Kosher or sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 tsp. fresh thyme
2 Tbls butter
2 Tbls. fresh parsley, chopped
12 slices thick-slice bread, preferably country-style white
Preheat oven to 325˚.
For the Garlic:
Remove loose, papery skins and lop off top 1/4 –inch of each head of garlic. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place the garlic, heads side up, in the pan. Drizzle with approximately 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sprinkle each garlic head with about 2 tablespoons of water and then cover the pan securely with more aluminum foil. Bake for 1 to 1 ½ hours, until the garlic is very tender.
When the garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze the whole head with your fingers to remove the softened cloves – which should now be similar to a puree.
For the Mushrooms:
Meanwhile, in a large, heavy skillet, heat 2 Tbls. olive oil over medium-heat until it glistens. Add half of the mushrooms to very loosely cover the bottom of the pan (you want to be able to see the pan through the spaces in-between). Season the mushrooms with a bit of salt and pepper. Cook for a couple of minutes, then carefully turn the mushrooms over to brown and soften.
Add half of the garlic, shallot, and thyme. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and continue cooking the mushrooms until they are tender, about 2 more minutes. Transfer to a paper towel. Wipe the skillet with another paper towel and repeat the process for the remaining mushroom batch. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
To Assemble the Sandwiches:
Toast the bread either under the broiler or on a grill until golden brown. Generously spread each piece with some of the roasted garlic. Top 6 of the slices of toast with the mushrooms. Sprinkle with parsley. Cover the remaining slices, garlic side down.
