Marinated Mushrooms on French Baguette Crostini

Ingredients:

1 lb. button mushrooms 6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil Juice of one lemon, about ¼ cup 1/3 cup water 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and cut into thick slices 4 fresh thyme sprigs* 1 bay leaf Pinch of hot red pepper flakes A few black pepper corns 1 tsp. salt 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar French baguette Extra-virgin olive oil for brushing on bread

*You can substitute any fresh herb growing in the garden.

1. Wipe mushrooms clean with damp paper towels. Trim stems if necessary. Cut larger button mushrooms in half.

2. Heat 3 Tbsp. of the olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add mushrooms and sauté over low heat until just tender. Transfer to a bowl.

3. Place remaining oil, lemon juice, water, garlic, herbs, red pepper flakes, black pepper corns, and salt in sauté pan. Simmer for 5 minutes. Pour over the mushrooms in the bowl. Stir in the vinegar and let mushrooms cool in marinade. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving.

4. Pre-heat oven to 400°F. Cut thin slices of baguette and place on a baking pan. Brush or spray one side of bread lightly with olive oil. Toast until the bread is lightly browned on one side, but not crispy. Remove from oven and place on a platter.

5. To serve, remove mushrooms from marinade with a slotted spoon. Place a heaping tablespoon of mushrooms on each bread slice.