I am not a fan of mushrooms but my husband and sons are, so I created this for them.  I got the idea from a recipe my mom taught me that includes chicken, Vermouth, mushrooms and cheese.  I took some of those ingredients then added in the garlic and thyme and created a new side dish.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 package of baby bella or button mushrooms (cleaned and sliced)

Tip:  The way I clean mushrooms is with a clean, just barely damp, dish towel  by rubbing the outside all around the mushroom.  You can also brush with a small plastic mushroom brush.  Never put mushrooms under running water to clean them or they get incredibly soggy.  You can peal the top layer off of the mushroom, but that takes a long time and I don’t see the point. I then trim off of the very bottom and cut into half centimeter slices.  

1 clove of garlic small dice

¼ cup of Dry Sherry or White Vermouth (or other white wine you have in the house)

1/2 tsp fresh thyme or a pinch of dried thyme

Salt and pepper to taste butter

1 tbsp

1/4 cup freshly grated Gruyere cheese*

Clean and slice a package of baby bells or button mushrooms.  Drizzle the olive oil in a non stick pan and heat it over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes.  Add the slices of mushroom and cook for 3-4 minutes on medium heat, browning them on both sides.

Add the garlic and sauté another 2 minutes, then add the Vermouth and scrape up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan.  Cook out the alcohol by simmering for 4-5 minutes.  Stir in the thyme, salt and pepper to taste and hit it with the butter.

Pour onto a serving plate, top with the grated Swiss cheese while the mushrooms are still hot, allowing it to melt on top.

*Gruyere is named after the town of Gruyeres in Switzerland.  It is sweet but slightly salty, with a flavor that varies with age. It is often described as creamy and nutty when young, becoming stronger with age, more complex and earthy.   Can substitute Emmentaler (also named after a Swiss town, it has a savory, mild taste), or Jarlsberg (named for a town in Norway, is a mild, buttery cheese.  The flavor is rich, with a slightly sweet and nutty flavor.)