The keys to making savory open-faced toast from scratch

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During a visit Primland Resort Earlier this summer I went to the Laurel Bar for lunch and took a look at the menu. As I pondered the burger or the crispy chicken sandwich, I struggled to make a decision. Luckily my server came in and saved the day. “The open-faced mushroom toast is one of the best things we serve,” she says. “It’s very popular.”

Vegetarian isn’t usually my thing – although I like all vegetables – and I’ve rarely been excited by the prospect of an open-faced toast. Still, I had to admit that the description of it sounded good: sautéed mushrooms, black garlic aioli, jack cheese, onion, and a sunny-side-up egg.

Let’s do it.

At the first bite I was immediately glad I did. A wonderful mix of different types of flavors, be it sweet, sour, bitter and savory, the toast was layered and satisfying. “All the items in the dish are quite bright in their own way, and they dance together beautifully,” Sean Maloney, Primland’s chef, told me afterward.

Inspired by that experience, I quickly researched other delectable savory toasts found on the menus of golf resorts and clubs across the country. More importantly, I asked the chefs at those clubs and resorts to give their best advice on making delicious savory toasts at home. Here I present their collective guidance; consider this your can’t-miss roadmap to exceptional, open toast.

From the beginning

When considering a new savory toast, Maloney always starts with the bread; it may be the most important ingredient of the dish, and he’s not the only one who thinks so. Geoffrey Lichtenberger, the chef at Rossa Kitchen and Patio at McDowell Mountain Golf Clubserves an open sandwich loaded with delicious ingredients, such as crispy soppressata, balsamic onions and truffle oil. Still, he says the toasted focaccia is one of the most important components, and choosing the bread is all about how you – or someone else – imagines the finished product. “Is this going to be a fork-and-knife affair, where a softer loaf is acceptable?” he asks. “If you want to be able to pick it up and eat it with one hand, you may need a sturdier loaf.”

Kimberly Backman, the chef at Omni Tucson National Resort & Spaagrees. “Use your favorite type of bread,” she says. “It’s the foundation of the toast and will absolutely make a difference. Quality bread should be the key ingredient.”

Favorite ingredients

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that good savory toast is limited to only certain ingredients. “You can ‘roast’ most of your favorite foods,” admits Maloney. “It can be a really fun game to play.”

The chef in particular often incorporates all kinds of dips, and he likes to contrast these with crispy components, whether that’s wasabi peas, garlic chips, sesame sticks or crispy shallots. “Raid the bulk food aisle,” he says. “And go to the local farmers market and find the most beautiful, flavorful, local produce you can find.”

Lichtenberger relies heavily on aiolis and good quality mayonnaise, which he loves. “It is one of, if not, the the most versatile spices available,” he says, “and it adds so much in terms of flavor and texture.”

Emily Brubaker, director of Omni La Costa Resort & Spaalso focuses on texture when she incorporates cheese, favoring soft styles such as Neufchatel, goat cheese or brie. “A drizzle of brie, sliced ​​grapes, chives and pecans with a little honey drizzled on top is definitely a treat,” she reveals. “Or a herb goat cheese with sliced ​​beets, orange segments and walnuts.”

Best advice

Brubaker often includes a soft, spreadable cheese, but it plays a role beyond just texture or flavor. “A spread is essential because it protects the toasted bread from becoming too soggy,” she says. A toast that remains crispy retains its integrity.

It turns out that the way you toast your bread can also make a difference. Just ask Chef Backman, who reveals her secret weapon: always toasting the bread in butter. “It adds an extra richness that takes your toast to the next level,” she says. “After that, the extra toppings you put on the toast will only make it better.”

Lichtenberger likes to think about making the dish for someone else, even if he’s the only one eating it. “Personally, I enjoy cooking for others more than for myself,” he admits, “and I find that I expand my imagination more when I cook for others.”

Whoever you cook it for, don’t doubt your original ideas. According to the assessment of Greg Lopez, chef at Omni Bedford Springs Resort & Spathat’s the most important first rule when it comes to conceptualizing savory toasts. “In almost every culture, people have been putting food on boiled bread for centuries,” he says. “Our instincts are designed for this, so trust it and have fun!”

Common mistakes

The only real mistake you can make when experimenting with new savory toasts comes down to a matter of quantity – both in the number of components you combine and the amount of those components you use. Chef Maloney likes to remember Coco Chanel’s most important fashion rule: Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take off one thing. “At some point,” he says, “we have to go our own way for food to be.”

For Chef Lopez, it’s a matter of proportion. “The toppings should only make up 30 to 40 percent of the finished toast,” he instructs. “Think about thin but noticeable layers of toppings so that you get a good crispiness to the bread, enhanced by the rest of the ingredients. If your layer of toppings is the same height as the thickness of the bread, you’ve gone too far.”