8 to 11 T butter 1/3-inch-thick slices
6 thin slices homemade-type white 2 tsp strained fresh lemon juice
bread, cut into 3-inch rounds 2 T flour
with a cookie cutter or the rim 1 c chicken stock, fresh or canned
of a glass ½ c light cream
2 T freshly grated onions 1 tsp celery seed
1 pound fresh wild Tantramar 1 tsp salt
mushrooms, or substitute 1 pound ¼ tsp freshly ground black
fresh cultivated mushrooms, pepper
trimmed, wiped with a damp 2 T finely chopped parsley
cloth, and cut lengthwise into
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Preheat the oven to its lowest setting. Line a baking pan with a double
thickness of paper towels and place it on the middle shelf of the oven.In a heavy 12-inch skillet, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter over moderate heat. When the foam begins to subside, add the bread rounds. Turn them with a slotted spatula and regulate the heat so that they color richly and evenly on both sides without burning. If necessary, add up to 3 tablespoons more butter to the skillet, a tablespoonful at a time. When the bread rounds are done, transfer them to the paper-lined pan and keep them warm in the oven while you prepare the mushrooms.
In the same skillet melt the remaining butter over moderate heat. Drop in the onions and stir for 1 or 2 minutes until they are soft but not brown. Add the mushrooms and, stirring occasionally, fry them for 8 to 10 minutes, or until almost all the liquid that accumulates in the pan has evaporated. Do not let the mushrooms brown.
Add the lemon juice and stir in the flour. Then, stirring the mixture constantly with a wire whisk, pour in the chicken stock and the cream in a slow, thin stream and cook over high heat until the sauce comes to a boil, thickens lightly and is smooth. Add the celery seed, salt and pepper, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes to remove the raw taste of the flour. Taste for seasoning.
Arrange the fried bread rounds attractively on a heated platter or individual plates and spoon about ½ cup of the mushroom mixture over each one. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve at once. Serves 6.
