Warm Mushroom Croustini

      Before I started working on my menu for Valentines day at work I sat on the computer and googled aphrodisiacs.  Wanted to have a wonderful sensual meal planned for our customers.   I was amazed when I started looking to find that garlic was an aphrodisiac.  I mean, who wants to kiss someone that stinks like garlic?  It seems, though that garlic increases blood circulation and for thousands of years is has been known to be a stimulant.  So who cares is you smell a bit, I guess it doesn't matter if you both smell like garlic, right?
      This is a great little hors douvre to have while cooking your valentines dinner. I stole this recipe from my husband  (He is being ever so helpful this week!  Such a sweetie!)  Start with wild mushrooms.  Go to a natural market, they usually have a pretty good selection of bulk mushrooms.  Get a couple of different kinds- Chantrells and Morells are ideal, and my favorite, but if you can't find them, porchini, oyster mushrooms, beach mushrooms, enoki, and if all else fails, go with the old stand by of shitakes, portabella, and cremini.  Any mixture of these will do you well.  Get about 6 oz of mushrooms total, clean them gently and dry them.  If you get something with gills in it be sure to scrape them out and remove any woody stems.
      Next it's time to cook them.  In a large, heavy bottomed sautee pan on medium heat cook until the garlic begins to brown
3 TBS Olive Oil and
4 Garlic cloves, crushed with the flat of a knife blade
once they have started to brown add the mushrooms and coat with the oil.  Let them cook, stirring occasionally Then deglaze the pan with
1/4 cup white wine and season with
pinch salt
4 grinds of fresh peppercorns
Continue cooking until the mushrooms begin to dry When the mushrooms are mostly dry remove them from the heat and let cool. 
      While this is cooling, cut some slices of Baguette - Trader Joes sells a really delicious multi-grain demi-baguette works beautifully well for this recipe.  Do about 1/4 to 3/8 inch slices, 8-10 of them.  Drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides.  Toast in the oven at 350 for about 5 or 6 minutes.  So they are still soft, but get a bit crispy on the edges.
    Once the mushrooms are cool chop them until they are about the size of your pinky nail. Then mix with
2 TBS maynoaise
1 Tbs Parmesan
1 tsp chopped Thyme
Pile the spread on top of the crustinis and place in the broiler for about 6 minutes.  Remove when it has begun to brown on top.  Serve warm.  MMMMM it's wonderful.  A great treat to feed to eachother.  So enjoy the sharing and be stinky together!