Ukrainian Winter Borscht with Vushka

We missed celebrating Christmas with our extended family this year. 😦

Traditionally, my Mother-in-Law makes all of us the meatless 12-dish Ukrainian Christmas Eve feast as part of our celebration. It is a beautiful dinner, but a major undertaking. I didn’t attempt to make the complete meal, but I did make a couple of the courses for our celebration at home. 🙂

Our meal began with a (mini) shot of vodka and a bite-sized piece of challah with honey. We ate this Winter Borscht with Vushka (mushroom-onion dumplings) followed by sauerkraut and potato-cheese pierogies, which my husband purchased from a local Polish store, as our main courses. I made my Mother-in-Law’s apple strudel for dessert, post to follow.

This recipe was adapted from Tom Birchard and Natalie Danford of NYC’s East Village restaurant Veselka, via The New York Times, contributed by Julia Moskin. (I gave my husband the Veselka cookbook for Christmas!) I incorporated some of the beets, puréed, into the finished soup. I used dumplings wrappers instead of making the dough for the dumplings. I also modified the Vushka proportions and technique.

I used beets from my CSA share for the soup, made it in advance and stored it in the freezer. I made the Vushka a day in advance and stored them in the refrigerator. The recipe states that the dumplings are optional; in my house they are essential! The soup had a spicy kick which may have been from the fresh garlic, which is incorporated at the end. I enjoyed it but may consider omitting the garlic next time.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

For the Borscht:

• 2 pounds beets, trimmed and scrubbed (do not peel)
• 3/4 cup white vinegar
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 5 whole allspice berries
• 1 tablespoon sugar, more to taste
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• coarse salt
• mushroom and onion dumplings (Vushka)
• chopped dill, for garnish, optional

1. Coarsely chop beets, preferably in a food processor.
2. In a medium pot, combine beets, 4 cups water and vinegar; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until beets are soft, about 45 minutes. Strain and set juice aside. (Beets can be used for another purpose, like salad.)(I puréed half of the strained beets in a Vitamix and incorporated them in the finished soup.)
3. Meanwhile, in a deep pot, combine carrot, celery, onion, stock, bay leaves and allspice; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 45 minutes. Strain and discard aromatics and vegetables.
4. Combine strained stock and beet juice and simmer 5 minutes.
5. Add sugar, garlic (if using), and black pepper. Season to taste with sugar and salt.
6. Add half of the reserved beets, puréed, into the finished soup, as desired.
7. Serve with dumplings and sprinkle with dill, as desired.

For the Vushka (Ukrainian Mushroom & Onion Dumplings):

Yield: 80 to 100 dumplings

For the Filling:

• 2 tablespoons dried porcini mushrooms
• 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 large yellow onion, minced
• 2 cups chopped button mushrooms
• coarse salt
• freshly ground black pepper

For the Dough: (I used Shanghai-style dumpling wrappers instead)

• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, more as needed

To Make the Filling:

1. Place dried mushrooms in a small bowl and add 2 tablespoons of boiling water. Let soften, about 10 minutes. Strain, reserving liquid and mushrooms separately.
2. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until golden but not brown, about 5 minutes.
3. Add button mushrooms and cook, stirring, until mushrooms have released their liquid, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drain liquid.
4. In a food processor, combine both kinds of mushrooms.
5. Spoon in porcini liquid, leaving behind any silt in bottom of bowl.
6. Pulse together until finely ground but not pasty: about 3 or 4 pulses. Add salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

To Make the Dough: (I used dumpling wrappers and continued at Step 8)

1. In a small bowl, combine egg yolk, oil and 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water and whisk 1 minute.
2. Place flour in a large bowl and make a well in center. Add a third of the egg mixture and lightly mix in with fingers or a fork. Repeat 2 more times.
3. Using hands, fold dough together until soft: if crumbly, gently work in more water; if sticky, add flour.
4. Transfer to a lightly floured board and knead 3 minutes.
5. Form into a ball, transfer to a bowl and refrigerate 45 minutes.
6. Lightly flour a work surface and a pan or board for the finished dumplings. Divide dough into 3 sections.
7. Using a well-floured rolling pin, roll each section out until very thin and in a rough rectangle.
8. Use tip of a sharp knife to cut dough into 1 1/2-inch squares. (I used a 1 1/2-inch square cookie cutter as a guide. Each dumpling wrapper yielded 2 squares. If using square dumpling wrappers, each one may be able to make 4 squares. Next time!)
9. Cover the cut dough with plastic wrap so that it doesn’t dry out.
10. Drain any excess liquid from filling. Place 1/4 teaspoon filling in center of each square. (I found it helpful to pre-scoop the filling and place it on a cutting board because it dried it out slightly.)
11. Wet the edges of the dough and fold squares in half to form triangles, sealing filling inside.
12. Pinch the 2 opposing corners together to seal tightly, use water if necessary.
13. Place on a rimmed baking sheet lined with plastic wrap or a floured surface: do not stack.
14. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
15. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook dumplings until they float, 2 to 4 minutes. (If cooking frozen dumplings, cook until they rise to the surface and add 2 minutes.)
16. Drain and serve in hot borscht, about 10 per serving, or just with sour cream.

Ina Garten’s Wild Mushroom & Farro Soup

Wow. I absolutely loved this earthy, rich, and full-flavored soup. I doubled the recipe to freeze a batch to serve for lunch on Thanksgiving Day. (I trusted Ina Garten enough to double the recipe the first time I made it!) 🙂

This recipe is from Ina Garten’s Make it Ahead: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, via thekitchn.com. I increased the amount of garlic and incorporated homemade turkey stock. I served it with sliced sourdough baguette and green salad dressed with mustard vinaigrette. Wonderful.

Yield: Serves 6

• 1 1/2 oz dried wild mushrooms, such as morels or porcini
• 3 T good olive oil
• 4 oz pancetta, diced
• 3 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
• 2 cups (1/4-inch-diced) peeled carrots (3 to 4 carrots)
• 2 cups (1/4-inch-diced) celery (3 to 5 stalks)
• 6 large garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 cup pearled farro (5 ounces)
• 12 oz fresh cremini mushrooms, cleaned, stems discarded, 1/4-inch-sliced
• 1/2 cup plus 2 T dry Marsala wine, divided
• 1 quart chicken, turkey, or beef stock
• 3 large sprigs fresh thyme, tied together with kitchen twine
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 T all-purpose flour
• 2 T unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 4 oz crème fraîche
• 1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

1. Place the dried mushrooms and 6 cups of water in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, cover, and set aside for at least 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the pancetta, onions, carrots, and celery and sauté over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender.
3. Add the garlic and farro and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the cremini mushrooms and the 1/2 cup Marsala and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until the mushrooms have released some of their liquid.
5. Meanwhile, strain the dried mushrooms through cheesecloth, reserving the liquid.
6. Coarsely chop the mushrooms and add them to the pot, along with the strained soaking liquid, beef broth, thyme, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper.
7. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer partially covered for 45 minutes, until the farro is tender. Discard the thyme bundle.
8. In a small bowl, mash together the flour and butter and stir into the hot soup. Simmer for 5 minutes, then stir in the crème fraîche and remaining 2 tablespoons of Marsala, and taste for seasonings.
9. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve hot.

Note: Be sure to buy “pearled” farro; regular farro takes much longer to cook.

Make ahead: Prepare the soup completely. Refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat before serving.

Vegetable Shepherd’s Pie

This was casserole was truly a one-dish meal. It is so loaded with vegetables, I didn’t feet the need to serve it with a salad or other green on the side. 🙂 We enjoyed it as our celebratory St. Patrick’s Day dinner this year. The “meaty” combination of lentils and mushrooms in this dish made my meat-loving family members happy. Don’t worry… they had corned beef sandwiches for lunch too.

My riced-potato topped casserole was filled with lentils, mushrooms, fresh herbs, as well as roasted cauliflower, butternut squash, and carrots. The sauce was flavored with dried porcini mushrooms, wine, onions, and loads of garlic. It was fabulously saucy with layers of rich flavor.

This recipe was adapted from Bon Appetit. Next time, I would prepare the components of the dish a day in advance, as much as possible. The potato topping would ideally be prepared in advance at the very least. This delicious dish was absolutely worth the work and the wait! Great.

Yield: Serves 8 to 10

For the Topping:

• 3 pounds russet potatoes, unpeeled
• 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into ½” cubes
• about 3/4 to 1 cup milk (I used 1 percent)
• coarse salt

For the Filling:

• ¾ cup brown or French green lentils
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more for seasoning
• 17 garlic cloves, divided
• 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
• 2 large yellow onions, coarsely chopped (about 3-4 cups)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups dry white wine
• 8 cups vegetable or chicken stock (I incorporated 4 cups homemade Turkey Stock)
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons light soy sauce or 2 tablespoons white miso
• freshly ground black pepper
• 12 cups ½-inch pieces peeled fall/winter vegetables (such as squash, turnips, carrots, and parsnips) (I used 1 medium butternut squash, 1 head of cauliflower, & 2 carrots)
• 1 cup frozen pearl onions, thawed, halved
• 2 4-inch sprigs rosemary
• 10 oz (about 2 cups) bite-size pieces mixed fresh mushrooms (I used sliced cremini & white button mushrooms)
• ¼ cup chopped mixed fresh herbs (such as parsley, thyme, chives, and sage)

To Make the Topping:

1. Preheat oven to 450°, preferably on convection.
2. Bake potatoes on a foil or parchment-lined baking sheet until tender, about 40 minutes for the gold potatoes and 1 hour for the russet potatoes.
3. Let cool slightly, then peel.
4. Press potatoes through a ricer, food mill, or colander into a large bowl.
5. Add butter; stir until well blended.
6. Stir in milk until desired consistency is achieved.
7. Season to taste with salt. Set aside.

DO AHEAD: Potatoes can be made 1 day ahead. Let cool, press plastic wrap directly onto potatoes, and chill.

To Prepare the Lentils:

1. Combine lentils, 1 garlic clove, 1 tsp salt, and 4 cups water in a medium saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender but not mushy, 15–25 minutes.
3. Drain lentils and discard garlic. Set aside.

To Make the Sauce:

1. Soak dried porcini in 3 cups hot water; set aside.
2. Heat 3 T olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. (I used an enameled cast iron Dutch oven.)
3. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes.
4. Add 10 cloves of chopped garlic and cook for 1 minute.
5. Stir in tomato paste. Cook, stirring constantly, until tomato paste is caramelized, 2–3 minutes.
6. Add bay leaves and wine; stir, scraping up any browned bits.
7. Stir in porcini, slowly pouring porcini soaking liquid into pan but leaving any sediment behind.
8. Bring to a simmer and cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
9. Stir in broth and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, about 40 to 45 minutes.
10. Strain mixture into a large bowl with a spout. Discard the solids.
11. Wipe Dutch oven clean and returned strained sauce to pot; bring to a boil. (I had 5 cups of strained sauce.)
12. Stir cornstarch and 3 T water in a small bowl to dissolve.
13. Add cornstarch mixture to hot sauce; simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.
14. Whisk in soy sauce/miso.
15. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

To Make the Vegetable Filling:

1. Preheat oven to 425°, preferably on convection roast.
2. Toss vegetables and pearl onions with remaining 2 T oil, 6 garlic cloves, and rosemary sprigs in a large bowl or on 2 parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheets; season with salt and pepper.
3. Divide evenly between the 2 rimmed baking sheets. Roast, stirring once, until tender, 20–25 minutes.
4. Transfer garlic cloves to a small bowl; mash well with a fork and stir into sauce.
5. Discard rosemary.

DO AHEAD: Lentils, sauce, and vegetables can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately; chill.

To Finish the Dish:

1. Arrange lentils in an even layer in a 3-qt. baking dish; set dish on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet.
2. Toss roasted vegetables with fresh mushrooms and chopped herbs; layer on top of lentils.
3. Pour sauce over vegetables.
4. Spoon potato mixture evenly over. Swirl decoratively.
5. Bake at 425°, preferably on convection, until browned and bubbly, about 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the cooking process.
6. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

I’m sharing my St. Patrick’s Day feast at Angie’s Fiesta Friday #163 this week. Enjoy!!

One Year Ago:

• Shepherd’s Chicken Pot Pie

Two Years Ago:

• Vegetarian Chili with Winter Vegetables

Three Years Ago:

• Mushroom Risotto with Spring Herbs

Four Years Ago:

• Hungarian Lentil Stew
• Chilkewali Mung Dal (Split Green Mung Beans), Mumbai-Style
• Spinach with Garlic & Cumin

Fancy Chicken Tetrazzini

This was unlike any tetrazzini I’ve ever eaten. It was fancy! (for a rotisserie chicken casserole, anyway 😉 ) It’s probably not technically “tetrazzini,” but it was a smoky, full-flavored, and delicious comfort food dish. An upgrade.

The New York Times explained that this dish takes its name from the Italian opera star Luisa Tetrazzini. It was once commonly found on menus in upscale restaurants during the early 20th century. (Who knew?) It has since become less fancy (until now!) and less Italian. 🙂 I loved the title of their article, “Chicken Tetrazzini, The Casserole Even Snobs Love.” I love all sorts of casseroles, so I suppose this fact confirms that I’m not a snob. 🙂

This recipe is from The New York Times, adapted from Mississippi chef Brad McDonald, contributed by Sam Sifton. I adapted the recipe further by increasing the garlic and by using mixed dried wild mushrooms as well as whole wheat pasta.

I’m bringing my fancy and snobby casserole to share at Angie’s Fiesta Friday #144, co-hosted by Suzanne @A Pug in the Kitchen and Margy @La Petite Casserole. Enjoy!

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

• 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms (I used a mixed wild dried mushroom medley including porcini, shiitake, black, & oyster mushrooms)
• 4 medium-size poblano peppers
• 5 dried guajillo chiles, ends snipped and seeds discarded
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade or low-sodium
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 medium-size shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
• 8 ounces Cheddar cheese, grated (I used 3-year aged white Cheddar)
• 1 pound spaghetti, preferably whole wheat
• 1 store-bought rotisserie chicken, the meat removed and shredded, approximately 1 pound
• 1 lemon, juiced
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup parsley, roughly chopped, for garnish, optional

1. Turn broiler to high, and set a large pot filled with salted water over high heat to come to a boil.
2. As oven heats, place the mushrooms in a small bowl, and pour boiling water over them, then leave them to soak for approximately 20 to 25 minutes, then strain and set aside.
3. Place the poblanos on a small sheet pan, and set on the highest rack under the broiler so that the skin blackens, turning a few times so that the roasting is even, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. When the skin is blackened and blistered all over, place the peppers in a medium bowl, cover it with a plate and allow to rest.
4. Make the sauce. Put the dried chiles in a medium pot set over medium-high heat, and allow them to cook until they become fragrant, approximately 5 to 7 minutes, then turn heat to low, and add the chicken stock, milk, garlic and shallots.
5. Allow the mixture to cook at just below a simmer for approximately 10 minutes, or until the chiles have softened.
6. Remove from heat, and pour into a blender or Vitamix, then add 6 ounces of the grated Cheddar, and process to a smooth consistency. Set aside.
7. Meanwhile, remove the skin and seeds from the roasted poblanos, and cut them into thin strips. Set aside.
8. Heat oven to 400, preferably on convection.
9. Cook the spaghetti in the boiling salted water in the large pot until just al dente, approximately 9 to 10 minutes. Drain, and rinse under cold water until cool, then drain again. (This step prevents the pasta from over cooking in the oven.)
10. Return the spaghetti to the cooking pot, and toss it with the roasted pepper strips, the mushrooms, the shredded chicken meat and the lemon juice, then season with salt and pepper.
11. Transfer to a casserole dish, approximately 9 inches by 13 inches, and pour the reserved cheese sauce over it.
12. Cover with the remaining shredded cheese, place in oven and bake until the cheese has melted and started to turn golden brown, approximately 20 minutes.
13. Garnish with chopped parsley, if you like, and serve.

One Year Ago:

• Jacques Pepin’s Chicken in Mustard Sauce

Two Years Ago:

• Indian-Spiced Chicken

Three Years Ago:

• Baked Orzo, Bacon, Feta, & Spinach Custard
• Escarole, Feta, & Shrimp Pasta

Four Years Ago:

• Spicy Fresh Tomato Sauce
• Terrific Low-Fat Lasagna

Balthazar’s Cream of Mushroom Soup

I was agonizing over what to make my mom for an early birthday dinner celebration. She is the most gracious guest and always says she likes everything she is served- but I wanted to make sure that she was truly pleased. Finally, I just asked her what she would like! (That was simple enough.) “Soup and salad. Perfect in the colder weather. Mushroom soup would be wonderful,” she said. I was happy to find this fabulous recipe from the Balthazar. We ate it with a sourdough baguette and green salad- of course! A Birthday pear and apple galette was our celebratory dessert. Perfect. 🙂

This recipe was adapted from The Balthazar Cookbook via Smitten Kitchen. I decreased the amount of sage, olive oil, and cream, increased the garlic, and modified the amount of each type of mushroom. Earthy and special. Happy Birthday, Mom!! ❤

• 1 ounce dried mushrooms (porcini, morels, or shiitakes)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 sprigs of rosemary
• 2 large sprigs of sage
• 1 large yellow or sweet onion, peeled and thinly sliced
• 6 large garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 20 oz white button mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
• 12 oz shiitake mushrooms stemmed, cleaned and thinly sliced
• 6 cups organic chicken stock
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1. Soak the dry mushrooms in 1 cup of warm water for 20 to 30 minutes, until plump.
2. Strain the soaking liquid through a coffee filter to remove grit and reserve, along with the reconstituted mushrooms, until needed.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over a medium flame. Bundle the rosemary and sage together and tie with kitchen twine. When the oil is hot, add the herb bundle and sizzle for a few minutes on both sides to infuse the oil.
4. Add the onion, garlic, salt and pepper and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent but not brown.
5. Turn the flame to medium high to high and add the white mushrooms and shiitakes.
6. Cook for 10 minutes, during which the mushrooms will give off their liquid (which should evaporate quickly due to the high heat) and deflate significantly. Stir occasionally.
7. Add the chicken stock and the dried mushrooms along with the soaking water.
8. Simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the herbs, then add the cream and butter.
9. Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender until smooth. (I used an immersion blender.) Return to the pot and keep at a very low simmer until ready to serve.

One Year Ago:

• Roasted Vegetable Moussaka

Two Years Ago:

• Buckwheat Crepes with Mix & Match Creamy Mushroom, Caramelized Sweet Onion, Sautéed Greens, & Citrus Shrimp Fillings

Hunter’s Chicken Stew

What a fabulous one-pot stew! Wine, mushrooms, garlic, and herbs with (my favorite) chicken thighs. This recipe was adapted from a Food and Wine “staff-favorite” recipe, contributed by Mimi Thorisson. I used a dried wild mushroom blend and bone-in chicken thighs instead of dried porcini mushrooms and a 4-lb chicken cut into pieces; I also increased the shallots and garlic. We ate it with roasted potatoes and Sautéed Haricots Verts with Mushrooms and Scallions on the side. So versatile and delicious.

Bringing this one to share at Angie’s Fiesta Friday #67  @Fiesta Friday.net. Enjoy!!

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 12 bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed
• coarse salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• all-purpose flour, for dusting
• 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 3 large shallots, sliced
• 3 large garlic cloves, sliced
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 tablespoons tomato paste
• One 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed (I used dried mixed wild mushrooms)
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, halved, quartered if large
• Chopped parsley, for garnish

1. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter.
2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and dust with flour. Add half of 
the chicken to the casserole and cook over moderately high heat, turning occasionally, until browned all over, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
3. Repeat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and chicken.
4. Add the onion, shallots, garlic and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper to the casserole and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
5. Add the wine and tomato paste and simmer until slightly reduced, 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, stock, porcini, thyme and bay leaf and bring to a boil.
6. Nestle the chicken in the sauce, cover and simmer over moderately low heat until nearly cooked, about 20 minutes.
7. Stir in the cremini mushrooms and cook, uncovered, until 
the chicken is cooked through, about 12 minutes.
8. Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Transfer the stew to plates, 
garnish with parsley and serve.

Note: The chicken stew can be refrigerated overnight. Reheat gently before serving.

One Year Ago:

• Mustard Chicken with Shallots

Two Years Ago:

• Mustard Chicken
• Indian-Spiced Chicken and Spinach

Fresh & Wild Mushroom Stew

This is a delicious and intensely flavorful vegetarian stew- hearty when served over pasta or polenta as well. We ate it over whole wheat pappardelle but I think I would have preferred it over polenta. Next time! 🙂 This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by David Tanis. I used the leftover wild mushroom broth in a Broccoli Spinach Puree- yum.

I am bringing this earthy and elegant dish to share with my friends at Fiesta Friday #45 at the Novice Gardener. Enjoy!

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

For the Stew:

• 1 ½ pounds, 24 oz, cultivated brown mushrooms, like shiitake, cremini or portobello
• ½ pound pale wild mushrooms, like chanterelle (or use King trumpet or oyster)(I used shiitakes instead)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• Salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
• 1 teaspoon chopped sage or rosemary
• Pinch red pepper flakes or cayenne
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 3 small ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped or 20 grape tomatoes (not peeled)
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 2 cups wild mushroom broth, heated, or use chicken broth, or more to adjust consistency (recipe follows)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
• pasta such as whole wheat pappardelle or polenta, for serving, optional

1. Clean mushrooms, keeping colors separate, and trim tough stems. (Save stems for stock.) Slice mushrooms about 1/8-inch thick.
2. In a wide skillet, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat. Add onion, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until onion has softened and browned, about 10 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. Add 1 more tablespoon oil and turn heat to high. Add brown mushrooms (I added all of my mushrooms because I used shiitakes instead of pale wild mushrooms.), season lightly and stir-fry until nicely colored, about 3 minutes.
4. Lower heat to medium. Add thyme, sage, red pepper and tomato paste. Add tomatoes, stir well, and cook for 1 minute. Season again with salt and pepper.
5. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon flour, stir to incorporate and cook for 1 minute more. Stir in reserved onions.
6. Add 1 cup mushroom broth and stir until thickened, about 1 minute. Gradually add 1 more cup broth and cook for 2 minutes. Sauce should have gravy-like consistency; thin with more broth if necessary. Adjust seasoning. (May be prepared to this point several hours ahead and reheated.)
7. If using pale wild mushrooms: Just before serving, put butter and 1 tablespoon olive in wide skillet over medium high heat. When butter begins to brown, add chanterelles, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for about 2 minutes, until cooked through and beginning to brown.
8. To finish the dish: Add garlic and parsley, stir to coat and cook 1 minute more. Add chanterelles, if using, to brown mushroom mixture and transfer to a warm serving bowl. Accompany with polenta or pasta if you wish.

For the Wild Mushroom Broth:

Yield: about 3 cups

• .88 oz mixed wild dried mushrooms or ¼ cup crumbled dry porcini (about 4 grams)
• 1 small onion or shallot, sliced
• 6 scallions, roughly chopped
• 1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
• 1 carrot, roughly chopped
• 1 bay leaf

1. Put all ingredients in a sauce pan. Cover with 4 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
2. Strain. Broth may be made in advance and will keep a week, refrigerated.

One Year Ago:

• Napa Cabbage Curry