Porcini Leek Sauce Recipes

PORCINI MUSHROOM SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine porcini mushrooms and 1 cup warm water in small bowl. Let stand until mushrooms soften, about 30 minutes. Remove mushrooms from liquid, squeezing excess liquid from mushrooms back into bowl; reserve liquid. Place mushrooms in another small bowl.
• Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté until onion browns, about 15 minutes. Add Marsala and white wine. Increase heat; boil until most liquid evaporates, about 7 minutes. Add rosemary, mushrooms and both stocks. Pour in reserved mushroom liquid, leaving any sediment behind. Boil until liquid mixture is reduced to 2 cups, about 15 minutes.
• Mix butter and flour in small bowl to blend; whisk into mushroom mixture. Simmer until sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

VEAL, PORK AND PORCINI BOLOGNESE SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook gently to sweat for about 2 minutes. Do not let the onions caramelize. Add the garlic and rosemary and cook about 1 minute, or until garlic is lightly browned.
• Add the veal and pork and cook, smashing the meat apart with a wooden spoon, to keep it from clumping together. Cook for about 2 minutes and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the mushrooms and continue to cook about 4 minutes, evaporating any liquid and caramelizing the meat.
• Add the porcini juice to the meat and cook for 1 minute to evaporate. Add the veal stock and cook for 2 minutes. Add the marinara and the wine. Reduce the heat and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the parsley.
• Toss 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan into the sauce to help it bind. Add some reserved pasta water, as necessary, if the sauce appears too dry. Top with the remaining Parmesan.
• Heat the olive oil in a large non-reactive pot over moderate heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the parsley and garlic and cook briefly to release their fragrance. Add the tomatoes, basil and salt. Simmer briskly until reduced to a sauce like consistency, stirring occasionally so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot. The timing will depend on the ripeness and meatiness of your tomatoes and the size of your pot. If the sauce thickens too much before the flavors have developed, add a little water and continue cooking.
• Taste and adjust the seasoning. If the sauce tastes too acidic, add the baking soda and cook for 5 more minutes. If it needs a touch of sweetness, add the sugar and cook for 5 more minutes. Remove the basil stem before serving.

CLASSIC FILET WITH PORCINI-MARSALA PAN SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine the dried porcini mushrooms and chicken stock in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn the heat off and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Pull the mushrooms out of the liquid, reserving the stock, letting any grit from the mushrooms settle to the bottom of the saucepan. Slice the mushrooms into strips and set aside.
• Thoroughly pat the steaks dry with a paper towel. Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over high heat until very hot, about 3 minutes. Drizzle a light coating of oil over each side of steak. Sprinkle the steaks generously with salt and pepper. Insert an instant read digital thermometer into the side of one of the steaks, set it to sound its alarm at 100 degrees F. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil into the pan, this helps create a great crust on the steaks.
• Place the steaks in the pan, leaving room in between each steak. Cook the steaks without moving for 3 minutes. Using tongs, flip the steaks and cook until the thermometer goes off, about another 4 minutes for rare, 5 minutes for medium-rare and 6 minutes for medium. Remove the steaks to a plate and cover loosely with foil. Let the steaks rest for at least 5 minutes while making the pan sauce.
• After removing the steaks from the skillet, add the porcini mushrooms, garlic and shallots. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the Marsala wine and the reserved mushroom liquid, being careful to let any grit stay in the bottom of the pan. Bring the sauce to a boil and reduce by half. Turn off the heat and whisk in the butter until it is melted and sauce has thickened. Add the thyme and season with salt and pepper.
• Spoon sauce over steaks, top with the chopped chives. Serve immediately with the Potato Fennel Puree.
• Place the fennel and potatoes into a medium saucepan and cover with the milk and cream. Add the bay leaf and season with a good amount of salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until the potatoes are tender or until a knife inserts into center of a potato chunk with no resistance, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Once the vegetables are tender, strain them out of the pan using a spider or a slotted spoon. Transfer them into a food processor, add the butter and start the pureeing process. Add just enough of the cooking liquid until the puree becomes smooth and creamy. Season with more salt and pepper.