Is it breakfast, lunch or dinner? Is it healthy? Does it taste good? Can it be prepared and served in less than 15 minutes? Can it quickly please royalty? The Open-Faced Sandwich with Sauté Mushrooms and Amaranth Greens is the recipe that answers all five questions. We had our sandwich for breakfast, because egg dishes are a routine meal. Of course, the next option is to make pancakes, but we didn’t want a sweet dish. So, I glanced in the refrigerator for more ideas. Rosemary bread. Mushrooms. Amaranth Greens. A little sheep cheese. There’s fresh rosemary outside. Then I had memories of eating open-faced sandwiches while studying design in Scandinavia. The food was always fresh, delicious and organic. Those countries introduced me the living green and environmental lifestyles. The cool air from the refrigerator reminded me of the fresh air in Denmark, and a new sandwich idea was promptly created with ingredients brought from the farmer’s market and the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) share. It’s a simple, quick recipe made to please a picky eater. Enjoy it warm. Skål!

Open-Faced Sandwich with Sauté Mushrooms and Amaranth Greens

Ingredients
1 small onion; thinly sliced
1 to 2 cloves garlic; minced
Fresh rosemary; 2 tbsp. finely chopped
a pinch of crushed red pepper
1 lb. white mushrooms; cleaned and sliced (try another mushroom variety)
Amaranth Greens; washed thoroughly (Alternatively use swiss chard or spinach)
1/8 to 1/4 cup Sherry
A few slices of fresh bread (recommend rosemary bread)
8 oz. Istara AOC Sheep cheese; 1/8 inch sliced (Parmesan is fine or use your favorite sharp cheese)
Salt and fresh black pepper

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Warm olive oil over medium heat. Sauté onions until translucent. Meanwhile, layer cheese slices on bread and place in the oven. Carefully watch the oven, to make sure the bread and cheese doesn’t brown.

3. Add the garlic to the onions. Stir for 30 seconds or before they turn brown. Add the mushrooms and season with rosemary, red pepper, salt and pepper. Stir for a couple minutes.

4. Pour in the sherry and cook the mushrooms until they soften for a few minutes. Meanwhile check on the bread. It’s ready when the cheese is slightly melted, while slightly in shape. Don’t let the cheese brown.

5. Add the amaranth greens to the mushrooms. Adjust seasoning. Sauté for a few minutes until it is completely wilted.

6. Plating: Place bread with the cheese on a plate. Spoon vegetables over the bread. Drizzle with olive oil (rosemary flavored olive oil is great) and fresh black pepper.

7. Serve warm and enjoy.