One of my favorite luncheon dishes is Mushroom and Brie Fondue. You can make it in as little as 20 minutes. And your guests will be delighted with its taste and texture.
Scrape as much rind from cold Brie as possible. Slice in half horizontally so it will cover more surface. Leave it out of the refrigerator to come to room temperature.
Split the Brie horizontally.
Wash, dry, and slice the mushrooms. A totally optional step that I take is to wash and dry the mushrooms the night before I’m ready to cook them. This helps dry them out so they don’t exude much water, and it also improves the flavor. Mince the shallot.
Slice mushrooms and mince the shallot.
Heat the butter and olive oil over high heat in a skillet. When the foam subsides, add the sliced mushrooms, tossing until they are lightly browned.
Sauté the mushrooms.
Lower the heat, and add the minced shallot, the thyme, the salt and pepper. Pour on a splash of Madeira, stirring until it’s evaporated.
Add the shallots.
Gather the mushrooms into the center of the pan, and cover with the slices of Brie. Cover the pan, cooking over low heat until the Brie has thoroughly melted.
Place the Brie over the mushrooms.
Garnish with parsley if you like.
Serve the Mushroom and Brie Fondue piping hot from the skillet by dipping in slices of crusty bread. Or alternatively, you can spoon the mixture over the slices of bread. The dish should serve 3 to 4 people.
