Rouge De Bordeaux Toast Recipe

Rehydrate mushrooms (if using dried)

Place dried shiitake in a heatproof bowl and pour 2 cups very hot (not boiling) water over them. Soak 20–30 minutes until pliable. Reserve 3/4 cup of the soaking liquid, strain to remove grit, and roughly chop the rehydrated shiitakes. If using fresh shiitakes, trim stems and slice caps thinly (no rehydration needed) and skip reserving soaking liquid.

Make the pickling brine: in a small saucepan combine rice vinegar, mirin, 1/2 cup water, sugar, kosher salt, soy sauce, smashed garlic, thyme (or bay leaf), cracked pepper and chili flakes (if using). Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stir until sugar and salt dissolve, then remove from heat.

Combine mushrooms and brine: place chopped/reconstituted (or sliced fresh) shiitakes in a heatproof container or jar. Pour the hot brine over the mushrooms, making sure they are submerged. If you reserved soaking liquid, add up to 2 tablespoons for extra mushroom flavor (do not add cloudy grit). Let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight for best flavor.

When ready to use, drain mushrooms from the brine and reserve a tablespoon of pickling liquid for adjusting seasoning on the aioli or to brush on toast if desired.

If using egg yolk: in a medium bowl combine the pasteurized egg yolk (or 1/2 cup mayonnaise), Dijon mustard, grated garlic, and lemon juice. Whisk together until smooth.

Slowly emulsify: while whisking continuously, drizzle the neutral oil in a very thin stream into the egg yolk mixture until the aioli thickens and becomes glossy. If using mayonnaise as base, simply whisk oil in a little at a time until you reach desired consistency.

Season: stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt and adjust lemon, salt, or garlic to taste. If the aioli is too thick, whisk in 1–2 teaspoons of the reserved mushroom pickling liquid (or water) to loosen slightly. Refrigerate until ready to use; allow to come to room temperature 10–15 minutes before spreading on toast.

Prepare and toast bread: preheat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat (or preheat the oven broiler). Lightly brush both sides of each bread slice with olive oil (or spread a thin layer of softened butter for extra richness). Toast bread slices in the skillet 1–2 minutes per side until golden and crisp, or broil 1–2 minutes per side watching closely to avoid burning.

Spread aioli: once toasted, let bread cool briefly (so it doesn't melt the aioli) then spread about 1 tablespoon garlic aioli on each slice. If you like a stronger garlic note, use up to 1 1/2 tablespoons.

Top with mushrooms: arrange 2–3 tablespoons of drained pickled shiitake on each aioli-covered toast, distributing mushrooms evenly. Lightly press so they adhere.

Finish and garnish: drizzle a teaspoon of reserved pickling liquid over the mushrooms on each toast (optional, for brightness). Scatter microgreens or chopped parsley over to add freshness, and finish with a crack of black pepper. Serve immediately.