We had a great catch at Rochester’s farmer’s market yesterday. It made for a spectacular quick-fix dinner. We brought home fresh shitake, shallots, and an heirloom tomato. I sliced a thick disc from the plump mid-section of the tomato and set it on a cedar shake. Two thumb sized slabs of a nicely ripened brie blanketed the slice. I smothered the cheese with a mix of shitake and shallot slices, shredded cilantro and the leaves stripped from a single sprig of thyme – the herbs fresh from our deck garden. I spiced the shroom dressing with snips from basil shoots. I dribbled first olive oil across the blanket of mushrooms and shallots, and top dressed with lime-infused olive oil and rice vinegar. The cedar shake fit nicely in our small weber. I grilled, covered, for approximately 20-25 minutes. The coals were just right. It worked. Never before have I had a mushroom smothered tomato with brie. I would do it again. We dined on the deck. I’d have preferred that I’d taken an image from after the bake, but the camera was not nearby and the smothered tomato disappeared quickly under the ravage of a hungry fork. Next time, I’ll be prepared. We served it with a warmed, crisp baguette dipped in garlic and basil mulled olive oil.
It finished well with an ’08 Willamette pinot noir.