July 30, 2017

Balsamic Mushroom Medley & Brie Naan Bites

Want a flavourful and easy mushroom appetizer for your summer BBQ?

Try my Balsamic Mushroom Medley & Brie Naan Bites made with Canadian-grown mushrooms and creamy brie cheese! These bite-sized appetizers are baked on mini naan flatbread until the brie is soft and melty, and drizzled with balsamic glaze.

Mushrooms Canada Appetizer Spotlight Contest

When I found out about Mushroom Canada’s Appetizer Spotlight contest, I instantly thought of submitting this recipe.

The contest is open to all Food Bloggers of Canada members, and the winner receives a full conference pass to FBC2017 in Ottawa this October. My blog has been up and running since March, but this was too late to register for this sold-out conference. Now, the only way for me to get a pass is to win my way!

Why do I want to go to FBC2017? I am passionate about sharing my recipes and growing this blog, but I need help! Attending this conference would teach me more about the business of blogging and how to grow my audience. I would also love the chance to connect with other successful Canadian food bloggers!

Here’s the story behind how I came up with this recipe:

Every summer I look forward to spending time at my sister’s cottage in Northern Ontario with our blended families. Even though my daughters are all grown up, they still love weekends at the cottage. We spend our days swimming in the lake, and our evenings cooking elaborate meals for our Italian family.

That means we do a lot more than just burgers and hotdogs on the BBQ! Recently when I was on appetizer duty, I wanted to come up with a recipe using the mini naan dippers which I spotted at the grocery store. We had Canadian brie cheese, a jar of sweet roasted peppers, shallots and crimini mushrooms on hand. I experimented with a topping for the naan dippers using all those ingredients and came up with this tasty bite-sized appetizer that satisfied everyone!

What you need to make this recipe:

For the Mushrooms Canada contest, I decided to add extra varieties of Canadian-grown mushrooms to my original recipe. My updated recipe includes a medley of crimini, shiitake and oyster mushrooms all nicely caramelized for the best flavour! For the finishing touch and to add a slight crunch, I garnished them with adorable raw enoki mushrooms.

Learn more about the different types of mushrooms used in this recipe.

The naan dippers I mentioned earlier are President’s Choice (PC) Naan Dippers. These mini naan flatbreads are the ideal size for appetizers. I also used my favourite Canadian double brie cheese that is deliciously soft and creamy. I used a balsamic glaze for the garnish, which can be found in the vinegar section of most grocery stores. I’m addicted to this stuff – it’s sweet, syrupy, and comes in a convenient squeeze bottle.

You might end up with extra mushroom medley, but that’s the best part. All those steaks and burgers you’re grilling this summer will taste even better with a delicious mushroom topping!

I recommend pairing this recipe with a Mott’s Clamato Caesar – the iconic Canadian cocktail!

Happy entertaining and happy 150 Canada!