MUSHROOM LOVERS' FRENCH BREAD PIZZAS

Mushroom Lovers' French Bread Pizzas image

Yield makes 4 12-inch French bread pizzas

Number Of Ingredients 13

8 large Portobello mushroom caps
1 pound button mushrooms, stems trimmed
1/2 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded
3 tablespoons EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil), 3 times around the pan
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 bay leaf
4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
Salt and black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine, eyeball it
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, eyeball it
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves, 4 sprigs stripped and chopped
1 24-inch loaf of crusty French bread
3 cups shredded Gruyère or Swiss cheese

Steps:

Preheat the broiler.
Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp towel and slice them. Heat the EVOO and butter in a deep skillet over medium heat. When the butter melts into the oil, add the bay leaf, garlic, and sliced mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms are dark and tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper and add the wine, stirring the skillet with a wooden spoon to deglaze. Shake the pan and add the Worcestershire and thyme. Turn off the heat.
Split the loaf first lengthwise and then across. Pull out and discard a bit of the soft insides. Toast the bread lightly under the broiler then fill each section of bread evenly with mushrooms. Top liberally with the cheese. Return the bread sections to the broiler until the cheese browns and bubbles then remove the pizzas from the oven and serve.