Mushroom Gratin with Parsley-Garlic Emulsion

Preheat oven to 300F. Clean mushrooms thoroughly with cloth. Remove caps from stems, and peel and dice stems. Set aside.

Line 9×12-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, and place caps on foil twice size of pan in single layer. Drizzle caps with 2 tablespoons olive oil, dot with half butter and half garlic cloves, and add sprigs of thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Place another sheet of foil over caps, and seal openings by crimping tightly.

Bake mushrooms 20 minutes. Remove from oven, and set aside. Discard thyme.

Meanwhile, heat skillet over medium heat, and add remaining olive oil and mushroom stems. Sauté 2 to 3 minutes, and, when golden brown, add remaining butter and chopped parsley. Let butter foam, remove pan from heat and add 1/8 pound grated cheese. Stir until well combined, and set aside.

Roughly chop remaining garlic, add to blender with the whole parsley leaves, and process until smooth and consistent, adding cream as needed. Warm cream to lukewarm in separate pan, and add to purée. Using whisk or hand blender, mix until sauce is frothy.

Preheat broiler.

Slice cooked mushroom caps into 1/4-inch-thick strips. Place sautéed stems closely together in ovenproof serving dish. Layer sliced caps on top, letting them overlap. Top mushrooms with remaining Wildmannli cheese, thinly sliced. Place under broiler 1 minute, or until cheese melts and begins to bubble. Remove from broiler, and pour emulsion around mushrooms before serving.

Wine Suggestions

These Swiss-type cheeses are made from unpasteurized cow’s milk and have a delicate nutty flavor. When combined with the musky pungency of mushrooms, the match calls for a big Chardonnay from Australia or California.