Crunch time to the winter holidays is upon us and meals need to be quick, hearty, and satisfying. This is the time of year when we love to indulge in warm & gooey, melty sandwiches, either on their own or with some soup. Today’s recipe is a cheesy sandwich recipe that features mushrooms. The melts are great as the main attraction with chips and pickles on the side or as a side sandwich to a bowl of warming soup. It’s perfect for this hectic time of year.

In this recipe, the woodsy and meaty flavor of the mushrooms is enhanced by the addition of Worcestershire sauce as the mushrooms finish cooking. Most people probably have some of this sauce in their fridge or pantry, but don’t know much about the sauce itself beyond that it adds depth and flavor to steak and Bloody Marys. Worcestershire is a fermented sauce made of molasses, sugar, onion, garlic, tamarind, and anchovies that has a tangy, salty, and sweet flavor profile. It helps pull together both the sweet and savory components of these sandwiches, making them absolutely delicious as well as comforting and satisfying!

Mushroom Melts

Mushroom Melts (adapted from washingtonpost.com)  Total Time Required: 30 minutes, Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided, plus additional butter if needed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 10 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 1 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
• 4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 8 slices of sourdough or rye bread from the deli or bakery
• 16 slices Swiss cheese

Directions:

In a large skillet over high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the olive oil, mushrooms, onions, and salt. Fry, stirring frequently, until the onions and mushrooms caramelize and are crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. Adjust the heat as necessary to prevent burning.

Cook the mushrooms with the onions and salt.

Turn off the heat and stir in the Worcestershire sauce to deglaze the pan. Set the mushroom & onion mixture aside.

Deglaze the pan with the Worcestershire sauce.

Lay 4 slices of the bread out on a cutting board or mat. Place one or two slices of cheese on each piece of bread to cover it. Top each with a quarter of the mushroom & onion mixture.

Add cheese and the mushroom & onion mixture to each sandwich.

Top each sandwich with a slice of the remaining bread. Butter the top side of each sandwich with 1/2 tablespoon of butter.

Assemble the sandwiches and butter the top sides.

Wipe the skillet out and place it over medium heat. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter, and fry the sandwiches, buttered side up to start.

Ready for the frying pan!

Flip the sandwiches over and cook until the cheese has melted and both sides of the sandwich are crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Use additional butter as necessary if making the sandwiches in batches.

Fry the sandwiches until both sides are done to a golden brown and the cheese has melted.

Slice the sandwiches in half and serve hot.

Melty & toasty & delicious!

Mushrooms, onions, and melty cheese makes a wonderful meal!  ~Linda

Mushroom Melts (adapted from washingtonpost.com)  Total Time Required: 30 minutes, Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided, plus additional butter if needed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 10 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 1 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
• 4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 8 slices of sourdough or rye bread from the deli or bakery
• 16 slices Swiss cheese

Directions:

In a large skillet over high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the olive oil, mushrooms, onions, and salt. Fry, stirring frequently, until the onions and mushrooms caramelize and are crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. Adjust the heat as necessary to prevent burning. Turn off the heat and stir in the Worcestershire sauce to deglaze the pan. Set the mushroom & onion mixture aside.

Lay 4 slices of the bread out on a cutting board or mat. Place one or two slices of cheese on each piece of bread to cover it. Top each with a quarter of the mushroom & onion mixture and top with a slice of the remaining bread.

Wipe the skillet out and place it over medium heat. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter, and fry the sandwiches, buttered side up to start. Flip the sandwich over and cook until the cheese has melted and both sides of the sandwich are crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Use additional butter as necessary if making the sandwiches in batches. Slice the sandwiches in half and serve hot.