Mushroom and Rosemary Goat Cheese Sandwich with Red Onion

Repetition is a funny thing. Practice makes perfect, and all that.

It truly does help you learn. Including things you didn't even want to learn. 

Like, for instance, dinosaurs.  I am now able to recite a dinosaur name that starts with A all the way through the alphabet to the letter Z.  I'm also pretty good now at telling you whether that dinosaur was a carnivore or an herbivore.  Give me a few more weeks, and I will be able to tell you whether that dinosaur lived during the Triassic, Jurassic, or Cretaceous period, and on what continent.  All extremely boring facts that I never cared to learn.  All extremely boring facts that are taking up precious brain resources, leaving fewer brain cells to deal with the important life stuff.

And all learned because we read this book at least two times a day.  Two times a day, this book is recited. Two times a day, I say the name of the dinosaur, some facts about it, its preference for consuming meat or leaves, and the time in which it lived and the place.

My second grade self would be proud of all the dinosaur knowledge I've finally acquired. 

But repetition is also funny in its inconsistency. 

Goat cheese is apparently an acquired taste. But acquired how?  

In my case, it was not a gradual repetitive attempt to embrace it. Repeated attempts at eating it did not actually lead to enjoyment.

It was a sudden and random realization, a realization that did not occur in the vicinity of goat cheese, that now - now would be a good time to try it again. Now will be the time that I like it.

And so that instinct was right. I'm obsessed. Though, arguably, the reason could have been that I picked up a better tasting brand of the stuff this time.  Apparently, however, the little guy already somehow acquired the ability to enjoy the stuff, shoveling it in his mouth after his first bite.

To celebrate this new-found appreciation, a sandwich was made.  A sandwich stuffed with browned mushrooms scented with rosemary and balsamic vinegar, a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese, kale leaves, and slices of red onion.  A sandwich that warrants repeating.

And to learn more about one of our very favorite ingredients, an ingredient that wasn't an acquired taste, but easily and readily embraced from the outset - the mushroom - click here.  Cooking Light has compiled a super informative article about our edible friend, including storage and selection tips and some fun trivia!

Ingredients
For the mushroom and rosemary mixture:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1/4 of red onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
pinch kosher salt
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

For the sandwiches:
sour dough bread
goat cheese
grated parmesan cheese
handful baby kale
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
lemon wedge
sliced red onions
mushroom mixture
canola oil, for skillet

Instructions
To make the mushroom mixture: Melt the butter and olive oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Once the butter has melted and the bubbles in the mixture have started to subside, add the sliced mushrooms, rosemary, and onion slices. Stir continuously, allowing the mushrooms to absorb the butter and oil mixture and the onion to soften. After a few minutes, the mushrooms will brown.  Turn heat down to low and add the garlic, pinch kosher salt and pepper.  Once fragrant (about a minute), remove from heat and add vinegar.

To make the sandwich: Assemble sandwich by spreading a layer of goat cheese on a slice of bread. Sprinkle with 1-2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese.  Add a handful of baby kale leaves.  Sprinkle the leaves with just a bit of kosher salt, pepper, and a drizzle of fresh lemon juice.  Add a layer of sliced red onions, then the mushroom mixture.  Add the other slice of bread.  Heat oil in skillet on medium-high heat.  Bronze the sandwich on one side, then flip over to get that brown color on the other side.