Choose your favourite hearty grain bread and pile it high with this savoury mixture of mushrooms and leeks. Bright green watercress adds a peppery snap to this quick, light lunch or snack.
Sustainability cred
Watercress is relatively disease and pest resistant, so it doesn’t require pesticides. It’s easy to grow, and it’s packed with nutrition: just 1 cup (250 mL) contains 106 percent of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin K and twice as much vitamin C as an apple.
To peel or not to peel?
While some (myself included) prefer to peel mushrooms versus washing or brushing them, this is, at least in my case, admittedly more habit than anything else. There is more nutrition in the skin, and fresh mushrooms generally only need a good dry brush to clean them.
If you choose to wash, make sure it’s not too far in advance and that they’re dry when you begin cooking. Some say that a peeled mushroom imparts more flavour. If you do peel, be sure to compost the skins.
Leek and Mushroom Tartines with Wilted Watercress
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp (15 mL + 5 mL) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 10 mushrooms, mixture of white and brown, cleaned and diced, about 2 cups (500 mL)
- 2 thyme sprigs
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt, divided
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice
- 1 leek, trimmed, quartered, and diced, about 1 1/2 cups (350 mL)
- 1 tsp (5 mL) honey
- 1 cup (250 mL) watercress
- 2 pieces of whole grain or sourdough bread
- Black pepper, to taste
Nutrition
Per serving:
- calories238
- protein7 g
- total fat11 g
- sat. fat1 g
- total carbohydrates29 g
- sugars6 g
- fibre5 g
- sodium495 mg
Directions
01
In large skillet on high, heat 1 Tbsp (15 mL) olive oil. When oil is hot, add mushrooms and thyme sprigs and cook for about 5 minutes, shaking pan from time to time to toss, but otherwise keeping movement to a minimum. Once mushrooms are browned, add a pinch of salt and lemon juice, stir through, and tip out onto plate to rest.
02
Reduce heat to medium and, in the same pan, add remaining 1 tsp (5 mL) olive oil, leeks, and remaining salt. Cook leeks, being careful not to brown, for about 5 minutes, or until just soft. Tip mushrooms and thyme sprigs back into the pan, add honey, and combine with leeks. Remove pan from heat.
03
Toast 2 pieces of bread. When ready, add watercress to still-warm leek and mushroom mixture and mix through, just wilting watercress. Spoon onto toasted and plated bread and season with black pepper.
Helena McMurdo is a writer, food stylist, and photographer based in Vancouver.
