Nothing tastes better to me than a sauté of garlicky mushrooms piled on good bread. Use as many different types of mushrooms as you can find and tear them up. The presentation looks great, but for a more sophisticated take use a puff pastry base. Replace the whipping cream with Greek yogurt, if desired, but do not bring to a boil.

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

• 4 slices pancetta

• 1 pound mushrooms such as shiitake, oyster and cremini

• 3 tablespoons butter

• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic

• 2 tablespoons chopped green onions

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon or 1 tsp dried

• 1/4 cup white wine

• 1/2 cup whipping cream

• Salt and freshly ground pepper

• 4 slices sourdough bread, toasted

• 1 tablespoon chopped chives

METHOD

Fry pancetta rounds in a frying pan over medium-high heat until golden and crispy, about 2 minutes per side. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.

Tear mushrooms into pieces; remove shiitake stems if using. Heat butter in a skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes or until juices have evaporated. Stir in garlic, green onions, mustard and tarragon and combine well. Add wine and cook for 1 minute. Add cream and reduce until mixture is creamy, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and pile on top of sourdough slices. Top with pancetta and chives.

WINE PAIRING

Comfort is the cue here, and that means just about any hearty red wine you love, because most would suit the mushroom-topped toasts. Top choices include gutsy Côtes du Rhône and fuller-bodied merlot or cabernet sauvignon. If you’re on a tight budget to keep you off the post-holiday-spending fiscal cliff, try Italian Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, a steal at often less than $10. - Beppi Crosariol