Oven-Roasted Wild Mushrooms with Goat Cheese and Chile Oil

Ingredients:

• 8 cups mushrooms (combination of portobello or crimini, shiitake and oyster mushrooms), stems removed and sliced

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/4 cup thinly sliced shallots

• 1/2 cup chile oil, recipe follows

• 8 ounces goat cheese, cut into 8 slices

• Salt and freshly ground pepper

• 3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the mushrooms with the olive oil, and shallots, then season with salt and black pepper.

3. Arrange the mushrooms evenly in one layer in a heavy roasting pan and roast for 15 minutes or until tender. Remove the mushrooms from the roasting pan and place into a large cazuela or baking dish. Drizzle with 1/2 cup of chile oil and top with the slices of cheese. Bake until hot, 5 to 8 minutes.

4. Remove from the oven, garnish with thyme, and drizzle with the remaining chile oil. Serve with lots of crusty French bread.

• Chile oil:
  1 cup pure olive oil

• 2 ounces dried New Mexico peppers

• 1 ounce dried arbol chile powder

• 2 tablespoons ancho powder

Place all ingredients in a blender and puree. Strain mixture through a fine strainer. Reserve. This may be done up to one day in advance.