Phyllo Crowns

with

Wild Mushroom

Centers

These tender morsels are found sprouting throughout Canada's woodlands, wild morel and chanterelle mushrooms are flavourful, unique and great for battling cancer.

Studies show that mushrooms control circulating estrogen levels and may protect you from breast cancer.

They're also a great source of riboflavin, pantothenic acid, copper, niacin, potassium, phosphorus and selenium, which repairs DNA and may help control asthma and arthritis.

Wild mushrooms are increasingly available in supermarkets, which is a good thing, considering that wild mushroom picking can be confusing for a novice.

To increase everybody's intake, try these hors d'oeuvres or appetizers:

Wild Mushrooms in Phyllo Crowns

Ingredients;

3 Tbsp. (50 mL) butter, melted.

10 cloves garlic.

1/2 c. (125 mL) dry white wine.

Half shallot, thinly sliced.

1 c. (250 mL) chicken stock.

1/2 c. (125 mL) whipping cream.

Salt and pepper.

1 lb. (500 g) mushrooms, thinly sliced.

1 tsp. (5 mL) chopped fresh thyme.

4 Pastry Crowns (recipe below).

Diced sweet red pepper.

Fresh thyme springs.

Crowns:

4 sheets phyllo pastry.

3 Tbsp. (50mL) butter, melted.

Preparation;

Brush 9-inch (23 cm) pie plate with 1 tsp (5 mL) of the melted butter, add garlic and wine.

Bake in 325°F (160°C) oven until garlic is golden and tender, 25 to 30 minutes.

Purée and set aside.

Meanwhile, in small saucepan, heat 1 tsp (5 mL) of the butter over medium heat, cooking shallot until softened, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add chicken stock and boil over high heat until reduced to 1/2 cup (125 mL), 5 to 7 minutes.

Stir in cream; boil, whisking frequently, until reduced by half, 5 to 8 minutes.

Whisk in purée, and salt and pepper to taste.

Strain through fine sieve; keep warm.

In skillet over medium-high heat, cook remaining butter until browned and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add mushrooms; cook, stirring until softened, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add thyme, 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt and pinch pepper; cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Divide mushrooms among crowns and drizzle with sauce.

Garnish with red pepper and thyme sprigs.

Phyllo Crowns:

Place 1 sheet of pastry on surface, keeping remainder covered with damp tea towel to prevent drying out.

Using sharp knife, cut a 14- x12-inch (35- x 30-cm) rectangle, reserving remainder for another use.

Brush with 2 tsp (10 mL) of the melted butter.

Using wooden spoon with 14-inch (35 cm) handle and starting at short end of pastry, roll up pastry on handle, leaving 1 inch (2.5 cm) unrolled at end.

Working at both ends of handle, gently push phyllo toward centre, crinkling to about half its length.

Slide off handle; pull ends together to form circle, so that unrolled phyllo forms ruffled base on inside.

Press ends together to seal.

Repeat with remaining sheets of pastry and butter.

Bake on baking sheet in 350°F (160°C) oven until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes.

(Make-ahead: Cover tightly and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.)

These are quite simply awesome hors d'oeurves or appetizers!

If you have these on your buffet table, they'll be the first to go.

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