Chef Michael Cherney is a true culinary genius with a passion for travel, cultural cuisine and connecting with local, organic ingredients. We’re lucky he decided to settle down in the Santa Ynez Valley, only a few short hours from Stepladder Ranch & Creamery. He and his wife, Sarah, started a restaurant, peasants FEAST, so Michael could connect more with the community through his cooking.
As Executive Chef, Michael enjoys preparing and testing new recipes for peasants FEAST, where he shares his creations on social media.
Chef Michael recently posted an incredible photo on Instagram of a Chanterelle Tartine using Ragged Point as one of the spotlight ingredients.
Our mouths were watering just looking at the photo, so we had to share the recipe with all of you!
(Photo courtesy of peasants FEAST)
Tartine is a fancy word for toast, aka an open-faced sandwich in French. Add Chanterelle mushrooms and other local ingredients and voila, you have an amazing dish!
Below is Chef Michael’s Chanterelle Tartine recipe:
Ingredients
- 2 ea Sliced Sourdough
- 1 ea “Ragged Point”
- 1 TBSP Crème Fraiche
- 2 Cups Wild Chanterelle Mushrooms
- 1 TBSP Minced Shallots
- 1 TBSP Butter
- 1 tsp chopped parsley
- 1 TBSP Pickled Mustard Seeds
- 2 ea Thinly Sliced Radish
- 10 ea Nasturtium Leaves or Flowers
- 1 tsp Mushroom Powder
Combine “Ragged Point” with crème fraiche in food processor. Blend until smooth and spreadable.
Chanterelles
In a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat, add a tablespoon of cooking oil. Sauté the mushrooms until tender and slightly golden brown around the edges. Season with kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. Turn off the heat. Add butter and shallots. Stir until butter is melted. Add chopped parsley. Transfer to a tray lined with a paper towel to absorb the extra butter.
To assemble
Brush the sourdough bread lightly with butter, toast on both sides. Spread the “Ragged Point” evenly, edge to edge all over the bread. Pile the chanterelles on the cheese spread. Wedge sliced radishes between the mushrooms. Add a few small piles of pickled mustard seeds. Garnish with nasturtium leaves and give a light dusting of mushroom powder.
Words from the Chef:
"My favorite place in the world is Big Sur. We went in early December when I was recovering from my hernia surgery. Back in 2018, on a trip to Big Sur, we stopped at Stepladder Creamery for the full tour. It was unforgettable. We bought a lot of cheese to take on our camping trip. We stopped at a few bakeries along the way for some fresh bread. We literally lived off cheese and bread for 2 days. It was awesome! I remember fighting over the last little crumbs and drops of oil from the marinated fromage blanc.
When I taste Ragged Point, I'm reminded of those memories. The rich, earthy, creamy, salty cheese reminds me of being surrounded by the redwoods and smelling the salty ocean. So I thought it would pair perfectly with other ingredients that grow in or around those conditions... chanterelles, nasturtium, mustard...all very earthy, "wild" ingredients.
I'd normally use Big Sur cheese for this, as we use for our "Grotto" (mushroom burger with Big Sur, local mushrooms and crispy shallots) because with the goat milk, it's got a bit more of that barnyard funk to it, which I love! But, Big Sur isn't always available, so this is a pretty close backup option."
About Ragged Point
Ragged Point is a small format bloomy rind triple crème cow’s milk cheese named for the gateway to Big Sur just North of our farmstead. The paste stays firm as the cheese matures, and does not become overly soft. As Ragged Point ages past four weeks, it takes on a peppery character and a distinct cream line underneath the rind forms. We were honored to be selected as a finalist at the Good Food Awards and took home 3rd Place at the American Cheese Society in the Triple Cream category with this little button. Available year round, buy online.