Grilled mushroom sandwich with Manchego cheese

When I curate a course dinner, one essential I add is a canapé. For me, it is essential. It is because of our love for bread, and the variations on it are infinite. A cape is also a chef's way of expressing himself and setting the tone for the rest of the meal.

This is a lovely sandwich Ihave turned into a canapé. I love the play between the sourdough bread, the earthy mushrooms and the pop of tartness from the cherry tomatoes. The original recipe calls for lime juice, which I substituted with balsamic vinegar for a subtler sourness. This is. a simple bite to make, and one I will make again.

This is one of the first cookbooks I purchased over 27 years ago. I got it to learn how to cook because it has many global cuisines that pop with spice. All the vegetarian recipes are easy to make and have always turned out delicious, though on a few occasions I have had to turn the heat down a notch or two. Jennifer is a well-published cookbook author with 11 books, and Jump Up and Kiss Me, a brand of natural spicy foods, is fantastic. This is a cookbook I need to pull out more often.

For more recipes from this very spicy book, click here.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb oyster mushrooms, stems cut fine and the leaves in large pieces

Salt, to taste

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2-1 teaspoon chilli flakes, or to taste

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Baguette or sourdough bread, toasted

Cherry tomatoes, halved

Manchego cheese, grated

Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the garlic. Fry until lightly golden, about 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms, salt, pepper, chilli flakes and toss well. Fry the mushrooms over medium-high heat until golden. Add the balsamic and toss the mushrooms well. Remove from the flame and allow to cool completely. Seta side until needed.

To serve, heat the oven to broil with the rack about 8 inches from the broiler.

Toast the bread. Top with a tablespoon of the mushroom mixture, then 3-4 tomato slices. Add a generous sprinkling of cheese. Broil for 60-75 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Serve immediately.

Note: You can serve this as a full sandwich, but I prefer it as an open one.