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mushroom melt on rye

Mushroom on Rye with Pickled Celery - Easy and Cheesy

Chop celery leaves and tender stems. Add seasonings and microwave on Hi for 1 min; stir in vinegar when cooled. Lightly butter slices of dark rye bread and arrange sliced mushrooms on top. Spread pickled celery leaves and top with shredded Parmesan cheese. Toast until cheese melts. Serve hot with a side of your favorite soup and salad.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Main Course, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 2 people
Calories 250 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Toaster oven preferred If not available, you can use an AirFryer or griddle-toast on stove-top ; will need a heavy bottom griddle (cast iron / stainless steel / non-stick). See Recipe Notes for directions.
  • 1 Microwave-safe glass/ceramic cereal bowl I do not recommend using plastic bowls
  • 1 Baking tray - small - to fit inside toaster oven non-stick preferred; if not available, line tray with parchment paper to prevent sandwiches from sticking during baking

Ingredients
  

  • 3 pieces Mushrooms- small-medium, white button / brown baby Bellas (Crimini) 1/8 inch (2-3mm) thick slices
  • 4 slices Dark Rye bread if not available, use any bread of your choice. Sliced sourdough is a great option. Use gluten-free bread if you need to make a gluten-free sandwich.
  • 2 tsp Butter - softened for easy spreading use your favorite non-dairy substitute for a vegan option.
  • 1 tbsp Pickled Celery-Tops See Recipe below
  • 1/4 cup Shredded Parmesan if not available, it's fine to use another shredded cheese - Cheddar, Swiss, Mozzarella, etc. Use your preferred dairy-free cheese for a vegan sandwich; See Recipe Notes for directions for making Tofu-Feta, for a soy-based vegan option.
  • 1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper - optional omit if you prefer less spicy sandwich
  • 1/2 tsp Dried Parsley - optional Adds good color and a hint of flavor.
  • 1/4 tsp Black Pepper - freshly crushed preferred - optional

For making Celery-Tops Pickle

  • 1/2 cup Celery tops - leaves and tender stems - chopped from 1 bunch of celery
  • 1/8 tsp Salt
  • 1/8 tsp Citric acid
  • 1/8 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
  • 1/4 tsp Dill seeds
  • 2 tsp Vinegar - apple cider vinegar preferred if not available, use white wine vinegar / rice vinegar / distilled vinegar

Instructions
 

  • Clean the mushrooms with a brush, or rinse quickly in a colander; spread on a clean kitchen towel to remove excess moisture. Slice the mushrooms - top to bottom, medium thin
    sliced mushrooms
  • Butter 4 slices of sliced dark rye bread; arrange the mushroom slices on top of 2 pieces. Spread celery-leaf pickle over the mushrooms (see directions below for making celery-leaf pickle). Sprinkle with freshly crushed black pepper
    Mushrooms on rye
  • Top with shredded Parmesan cheese
    mushroom and parmesan on rye
  • Toaster oven:
    Preheat toaster oven: 350 F (180 C) for 2-3 min; arrange prepared slices for 1 sandwich on non-stick coated baking tray,
    Note: Line tray with parchment if using a un-coated tray to prevent sticking during baking.
    AirFryer:
    Preheat 350 F (180 C) for 2-3 min; arrange prepared slices in the basket. Note: Line basket with parchment paper or brush on a thin layer of oil before placing bread in the basket.
    Stove-top:
    See Recipe Notes for detailed directions
  • Bake (or AirFry) at 350 F for 4-6 min - until cheese melts and starts to brown a little - check after 4 min, continue if needed.
    Repeat with 2nd sandwich.
  • Sprinkle dried parsley and crushed red pepper. Sserve hot, with a side of your favorite soup and salad.
  • Enjoy!

Celery tops

  • Slice the leafy tops from celery stalks; rinse and spread on a clean kitchen towel to remove excess moisture (or use a salad spinner); chop the tender stems and leaves
    celery leaves
  • Chop the tender stems and leaves
    chopped celery leaves
  • Place the chopped celery in a microwave-safe glass/ceramic bowl. Add the seasonings: salt, crushed red pepper, dill seeds, citric acid and microwave for 1 min. Set aside to cool. Add 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar and stir to mix.
    Makes about 1/4 cup pickle. Use as described above for making this sandwich. Store leftover pickle in a lidded glass jar in refrigerator good for 2-3 weeks, possibly longer.
    pickled celery tops

Notes

No Toaster Oven / AirFryer : Grill/toast on the Stove-top
If you don't have a toaster oven or AirFryer, no worries... it's easy to grill/toast these sandwiches on a frying pan on the stove-top.
  • Heat a heavy-bottom griddle/frying pan on medium heat for a couple of minutes
  • Place the sandwich on the pan - open-face style, as shown in the picture for toasting in the oven
  • Cover the pan, decrease heat to low/medium and cook for 5-6 min.
    • Lift cover and check:
      • has the cheese melted ?
      • lift a corner of the sandwich slices with a spatula and peek underneath - does it look a little browned?
  • Remove the grilled pieces from the pan, invert the buttered slice (buttered side down) on top of the cheese-topped slice.
  • Serve hot.
 
Vegan Tofu-Feta:
Pickled tofu is a tasty vegan alternative to shredded Parmesan. However, it is not soy-free, since tofu is made with soybeans.
  • Tear tofu block into small uneven-shaped chunky pieces (to resemble Feta in appearance)
    • some will crumble - that's perfectly OK
  • Transfer tofu pieces to a wide-mouthed glass jar - Mason Jar works well
Make pickle-juice:
  • Bring 1 cup water to a boil; then stir in the following seasonings
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • 1/4 tsp citric acid
    • 1/8 tsp black pepper
    • 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
    • 1/2 tsp basil
    • 1/2 tsp dried parsley
  • Boil the "pickle-juice" for 30 seconds and set aside to cool to room temperature
  • Add 1 tbsp vinegar - I prefer apple cider vinegar, but white wine vinegar, rice vinegar, or distilled vinegar works well too.
Pour prepared pickle juice over the tofu, stir gently to mix and refrigerate overnight, to allow flavors to be absorbed by the tofu.
Use as a substitute for feta on sandwiches, salads, etc.
 
Do-Ahead Plans
If you plan to make these sandwiches for a larger crowd, here are some things you can "do ahead":
  • Make the celery tops pickle -1-2 days in advance
  • Slice the mushrooms - up to 1 day in advance
    • make sure the mushrooms are dry
  • Shred the Parmesan, if using a cheese block - up to 1 day in advance
If you have these ingredients already prepped, assembling the sandwiches just before baking them becomes a breeze.
 
Storing Leftovers
Store leftover sandwiches in a covered container in the refrigerator.
To re-heat: Use one of the following methods:
  • Toaster oven
    • Bake in a preheated toaster oven at 350 F (180 C) for 3-5 min until heated through and slightly crispy
  • Stove-top
    • Heat a griddle or frying pan; add a drop of oil (any edible oil you prefer) and spread with a paper towel; place the sandwich on the griddle, cover with a dome-type lid and heat on low-medium heat for 4-6 min until heated through and crisp on the bottom; flip carefully and continue to heat until crisp on the other side.
  • AirFryer
    • Place in the AirFryer basket and AirFry at 350F (180 C) for 5-6 min until crisped
  • I do NOT recommend re-heating in the microwave
    • the sandwich will likely become soggy and unappetizing
 

Nutrition

Calories: 250kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 10gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 498mgPotassium: 487mgFiber: 5gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 374IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 103mgIron: 3mg
Keyword Celery Leaves, mushrooms, Parmesan Cheese, Pickled Celery, Rye Bread
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