Exotic Mushrooms And Tarragon Cream Recipes

SAUTEED MUSHROOMS WITH TARRAGON CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• First wipe the button mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel. Slice the morels in half first and check for bugs that might have crawled inside. If using fresh morels, wash them first; if dried you may reconsititue them by soaking them in warm water for 30 minutes.
• Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a pan and saute the button mushrooms over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes or until done. Set these aside.
• Now melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the same pan and saute the shallots over medium-high heat for about 4 minutes. Add the sliced morels and sauted for a minute more.
• Reduce the heat slightly and deglaze the pan with the wine. Stir in the stock and cream. Add the tarragon and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Let the sauce bubble for a few minutes until it reaches the desired consistency, then add the mushrooms back in and heat through.
• Serve with crostini (slices of a French bagette, toasted).

CHICKEN POT PIE WITH EXOTIC MUSHROOMS AND TARRAGON

Steps:

• Wash the chicken under cold water. Tie the bay leaves, peppercorns, rosemary and thyme together in a piece of cheesecloth as a sachet garni. Put the chicken into a pot large enough to hold it, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, carefully skimming off any scum and grease that accumulates on the surface of the water. Add the salt, sachet garni and onion, carrot, celery and leek, return to the boil, reduce again to a strong simmer and cook for 45 minutes.
• Turn off the heat and cool the chicken in the broth in an ice water bath. When thoroughly cold, remove the chicken and strip off all of the skin and discard. Strip the meat from the bones, and shred using scrupulously clean hands and work station. Strain the liquid, discard the vegetables and the bouquet garni.
• Place the chicken broth in a 4 quart casserole and bring to the boil. Add the carrots and celery and simmer for 10 minutes. Mean put he butter in a saute pan and begin to cook the shallots over medium heat. Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook over high heat for 5 minutes .
• Add the cream to the pot over broth and vegetables and then add the Sauteed mushrooms to the pot. Simmer this for 5 minutes before adding the chicken and continuing to cook for 20 minutes. Add the tarragon and place into single serving crocks or bowls and top each one with a biscuit.
• 4 to 6 portions
• In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. After the dry ingredients are thoroughly blended, add the buttermilk, cream and combine. Add the cold butter in rapid succession, combining only briefly, to leave the mixture as mealy as possible.
• Scrape this lumpy dough onto a lightly floured board and flatten gently with a rolling pin into a rectangle shape approximately 1-inch thick. Cut into 4 or 6 equal rounds. Brush a cookie sheet lightly with melted butter, place the rounds on the sheet and place the cookie sheet into the refrigerator to rest for 20 minutes, while you preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake the chilled shortcakes for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they are nicely browned.
• 4 to 6 ( 4-inch diameter) round biscuit tops

MIXED-MUSHROOM AND TARRAGON GRAVY

Steps:

• Place dried porcini in large bowl. Pour 2 cups boiling water over. Let stand until soft, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Using slotted spoon, transfer porcini to small bowl. Cool porcini, then chop. Pour porcini soaking liquid into medium bowl, leaving sediment behind.
• Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallot and garlic. Stir 15 seconds. Add fresh mushrooms, thyme, and sage. Sauté until mushrooms are tender, 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to bowl. Add vermouth to skillet; boil 3 minutes, scraping up browned bits. Add 4 cups stock, fresh-mushroom mixture, porcini, and porcini liquid. Boil 10 minutes.
• Whisk in crème fraîche. Stir 1/4 cup stock and cornstarch in bowl to dissolve; mix into gravy. Cook until gravy coats spoon, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, cover, and chill. Rewarm before continuing.
• Whisk tarragon into gravy and serve.

CREAMY MUSHROOM SOUP WITH TARRAGON

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, porcini mushrooms, tarragon, thyme, and bay leaf; sauté 10 minutes or until onions are lightly browned.
• Add garlic, and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add wine, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, button mushrooms, and cremini mushrooms. Cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Place bread in a food processor; pulse 5 times or until crumbly. Add the breadcrumbs, water, and bouillon cube. Reduce heat; simmer 20 minutes. Discard bay leaf.
• Place about 2 1/2 cups mushroom mixture in a blender; process until smooth. Pour pureed soup into a large bowl.
• Repeat procedure with remaining mushroom mixture, 2 1/2 cups at a time. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt and half-and-half. Top each serving with 1 teaspoon chives.