- August 24, 2018
- Main Dishes
Cheese and Mushroom Tarts
I love to entertain and I love to feed EVERYONE. Want a seat at my table? Ok! Unexpected and spontaneous get together? No problem, I’ll make enough food for fifty people (you may laugh… but I’m being serious).
But truly, party appetizers, creative delicious bites, and finger foods are so fun for me to make. When I created the Bon Appetech “Book Club” this summer, I hadn’t originally planned on doing food pairings each week.
However, I added this on a whim and truly loved it for a few reasons. First being, the fact that when you start drinking at 2 p.m. you probably should eat something. Second being, the fact that this is a FOOD based blog. So, for this week’s appetizer / food pairing I wanted something easy, elegant, pretty, and obviously delicious.
Keeping things low carb and creative, I came up with these delicious Cheese and Mushroom Tarts. Find the full recipe below and read on for tips and tricks. Make sure to also check out all the other drinks from my popular summer series, the Bon Appeteach “Book Club” and join me on Instagram each week for all the fun!
“School” Supplies:
- Muffins Tin
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment Paper
- Spatula
- Frying Pan
- Knife & Cutting Board
- Small Mixing Bowl
- Piping Bag (optional)
“Class” Notes:
These Cheese and Mushroom Tarts are really easy to make and taste amazing whether your low carb/ keto or not! They are sure to please a crowd (unless you hate cheese or mushrooms then I cannot help you there). Start by making the cheese “tarts”, aka cheese cups, aka cheese chips, aka baked cheese.
If you have been eating a low carb or keto diet for a while, I am sure you are no stranger to these at all. They are great on their own, but are awesome for creating bite sized snacks too. Place 12 small mounds of cheese (I used a Swiss/ Gruyere blend) onto a parchment paper covered baking sheet.
You bake until melted and let them cool slightly (you don’t want to burn your fingers but not cool all the way). Once they are cool enough to touch, place each piece into a muffin tin and mold it to create a shell or “cup”. Allow them to rest like this until they are cool.
Meanwhile, prepare the mushroom filling. Start by sauteing the onion and cooking it down until it is translucent. Depending on how much time you have, you could also caramelize the onions too. Next, cook the garlic, then add this whole mixture to the softened cream cheese.
Mix in a bowl and set aside. In the same pan, cook the mushrooms with the Worcestershire sauce and fresh thyme (seasoning to taste with S&P) and saute until browned. Season with salt, pepper, and fresh thyme or rosemary.
Remove from the heat and set aside. In the base of the cheese shell, pipe in the blended cream cheese/ onion mixture (about a tablespoon). Top with the mushroom mixture and repeat. Garnish with more fresh thyme and cheese over top if desired. Serve the Cheese and Mushroom Tarts warm and alongside these delicious Lemon Rosemary Gin Ricky’s!
Bon Appeteach,
-L
Cheese and Mushroom Tarts
Ingredients
- 1 1/2- 2 cups Baby Bella Mushrooms, sliced
- 1/2 Yellow Onion diced small
- 1 Garlic Clove minced
- 1 1/2 cups Swiss Gruyere or Parmesan Cheese
- 3 oz. Cream Cheese softened
- 2 tsp Fresh Thyme
- 2 tbsp. Butter
- 1 tsp Worcestershire
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. On a baking sheet, place parchment paper or a silpat mat on top of the pan.
- 2. Grate the cheese (or use pre-shredded) of your choice of cheese. Measure out 2 tbsp. of cheese per shell. Spread the cheese out slightly onto the parchment so it’s about a 3" circle. I suggest only doing 6 at a time. This makes it easier to form the cups before they cool.
- 3. Bake for about 7-10 minutes. The cheese should be browned slightly around the edges and look fully melted.
- 4. Remove from the oven and let sit on the baking sheet for 30-45 seconds. Use a spatula to remove from the parchment and place over a muffin tin. Carefully press it into the tin to form a "cup" shape. They do not need to be perfect. If the sides slightly bend in, this is ok too. Please be careful and work quickly. They can harden and cool fast!
- 5. Once the cups are made, work on the filling. Saute the onions in 1 tbsp. of butter till tender and translucent (about 5 minutes). Add the garlic and cook till fragrant.
- 6. Add the onion and garlic to the softened cream cheese. Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place in a piping bag or plastic bag to help pipe into the cups.
- 7. Saute the mushrooms, Worcestershire sauce, and fresh thyme in the remaining 1 tbsp. of butter. Cook till brown. Season with salt and pepper.
- 8. Pipe about a tablespoon of the filling into each cup. Top with a spoonful of mushroom (if there is excess liquid, try to avoid transferring this to the cups or they may get a little soggy).
- 9. Garnish with more fresh thyme and grated cheese if desired. Serve warm.