Wild Mushroom Ragu Recipes

MUSHROOM RAGOûT

Steps:

• Place the dried mushrooms in a pyrex measuring cup or a bowl and pour on 2 cups boiling water. Let soak 30 minutes, while you prepare the other ingredients. Place a strainer over a bowl, line it with cheesecloth or paper towels, and drain the mushrooms. Save the liquid. Squeeze the mushrooms over the strainer and rinse until they are free of sand. Chop coarsely.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet or a wide saucepan and add the shallots or onion. Cook, stirring often, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, stir together for about 30 seconds, until fragrant, then add the fresh mushrooms, rosemary and thyme, and turn up the heat slightly. Cook until the mushrooms begin to sweat, then add a generous pinch of salt. Stir for about 5 minutes over medium-high heat as the mushrooms continue to soften and sweat. Add the flour and continue to cook the mushrooms, stirring, until they have softened a little more and you can no longer see the flour, about 2 minutes. Add the reconstituted dried mushrooms and the wine and turn the heat to high. Cook, stirring, until the liquid boils down and glazes the mushrooms, about 5 minutes. Stir in the dried mushroom soaking liquid, bring to a simmer, add salt to taste, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the mushrooms are thoroughly tender and fragrant and the surrounding broth is thick, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in some freshly ground pepper and the parsley, taste and adjust salt.

CREAMY WILD MUSHROOM RAGOUT

Steps:

• Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in mushrooms with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until any liquid evaporates and mushrooms are light brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add 1/2 tablespoon butter and shallots; cook, stirring, until mushrooms are caramelized and almost tender, about 10 minutes.
• Drizzle in Cognac and vinegar; cook until liquid evaporates, 1 minute. Stir in creme fraiche.
• Stir in chicken broth, marjoram, and salt and black pepper to taste. Reduce heat to medium-low, cook until slightly thickened and mushrooms are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

WILD MUSHROOM AND PARSNIP RAGOUT WITH CHEESY POLENTA

Steps:

• Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium. Add onion, garlic, and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion starts to release moisture and turns translucent, 2-3 minutes. Add parsnip and cook until parsnip begins to soften, 3-5 minutes more. Add mushrooms and remaining 1 Tbsp. oil and cook until mushrooms are well-browned and cooked through, 5-7 minutes more.
• Add miso, tomato paste, and 3/4 tsp. salt to pan and cook, stirring, until tomato paste begins to caramelize, about 1 minute. Add cornstarch and stir to coat, about 30 seconds. Add wine and cook, scraping bottom of pan with a wooden spoon to release brown bits, then add 1 1/2 cups room-temperature water. Bring mixture to a simmer, continuing to scrape bottom of pan and adding water by the tablespoon if pan starts to dry out, and cook until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 10-12 minutes. Taste and season with salt if needed.
• Meanwhile, cook polenta, 5 cups milk, and 1 tsp. salt according to package directions. When polenta thickens, stir in 1/4 cup cheese. Taste and add salt and milk, if needed.
• Transfer polenta to a large serving bowl. Top with mushroom ragout, remaining 1/4 cup cheese, and hazelnuts.

BEST-EVER WILD MUSHROOM RAGU

Steps:

• Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil to a large, heavy-bottomed pot (such as a Dutch oven) over medium-high heat. Once hot & shimmering, add half of the mushrooms. Stir to coat the mushrooms in the oil then cook, stirring occasionally, until deeply browned & golden, about 8-10 minutes. Once browned, season with a good pinch of kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Transfer the browned mushrooms to a plate & set aside. Repeat with the remaining mushrooms.
• Meanwhile, as the fresh mushrooms brown, reconstitute the dried porcini mushrooms. Add the vegetable broth & dried porcini mushrooms to a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil & reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Simmer 10 minutes to reconstitute the mushrooms. Use a slotted spoon or spider strainer to remove the mushrooms from the pot, allowing all excess liquid to drain back into the pot. Remove the porcini-infused stock from the heat & set aside for later use. Transfer reconstituted porcini mushrooms to a cutting board & finely chop. Set aside.
• Once the fresh mushrooms are browned, cook the aromatics. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to the same pot used to brown the mushrooms. Reduce heat to medium. Once hot & shimmering, add the onions. Season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt & ground black pepper, as desired. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened & fragrant, about 5-6 minutes. Add the chopped porcini mushrooms from Step 2 & cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the moisture is cooked out, about 1-2 minutes. Add in the garlic & fresh thyme. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes longer.
• While the aromatics soften, it's a great time to get your pasta going. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is cooked to al dente according to package directions. Carefully dip a liquid measuring cup into the pot, reserving about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water, and set aside. Carefully drain the pasta - do NOT rinse it!
• Increasing the heat to medium-high, pour the dry vermouth into the pot. Stir constantly, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits that may have formed at the bottom of the pot. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until the vermouth is almost completely absorbed into the aromatics.
• Add the porcini-infused stock from Step 3 to the pot, along with the grated parmesan. Stir to combine. Bring the ragu to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer 5-7 minutes, until thickened slightly. Stir in the heavy cream & the browned mushrooms from Step 1. Taste & adjust seasonings as desired.
• Add the cooked pasta to the pot with the wild mushroom ragu sauce, tossing to coat. The wild mushroom ragu should evenly coat the pasta. Add in some of the reserved pasta water if the ragu needs to loosen up a little; add in an extra handful of parmesan if it needs to tighten up a little. Cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, allowing the pasta to meld with & absorb some of the wild mushroom ragu.
• Portion the wild mushroom ragu pasta into individual pasta bowls, topping with additional grated parmesan & chopped fresh herbs as desired. For an extra-luxe finishing touch, I like to finish each bowl with the lightest drizzle of black truffle oil. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

GNOCCHI WITH WILD MUSHROOM RAGU

Steps:

• Heat half of the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add half of the wild mushrooms and cook until golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then push to the edges of the pot. Add the remaining olive oil and wild mushrooms and cook 3 to 5 more minutes. Add the cremini mushrooms and cook 1 more minute. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, about 2 minutes. Add the wine; cook, scraping up any browned bits, about 2 more minutes. Add the tomatoes, 2 cups water, the bay leaves, coriander, fennel, red pepper flakes, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Simmer over medium heat, about 30 minutes (thin with water if needed). Season with salt and pepper.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi, stir and cook for 1 minute after they float, about 3 minutes total. Transfer with a slotted spoon to the pot with the sauce and gently stir over low heat. Serve topped with mascarpone and/or mint.

MUSHROOM RAGU

Steps:

• In a large skillet heat the oil. When almost smoking, add the onions and garlic over medium-low heat until the onions have wilted, about 8 minutes. Add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Raise heat to high and saute until mushrooms are tender and all the liquid has evaporated. Remove pan from heat and pour in Marsala. Return pan to stove and allow wine to evaporate, about 3 minutes. Add chicken broth and simmer for 1/2 hour until the sauce has reduced by half. Add heavy cream and mix well. Take the pan off the heat and add the fresh herbs and Parmesan and mix thoroughly.

WILD MUSHROOM RAGù

Steps:

• Soak the porcini in 3 cups hot water until very soft, about 30 minutes.
• Coat a large wide saucepan generously with olive oil and bring to medium-high heat. Add the onion and red pepper and season with salt; cook until the onion is soft and aromatic, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more.
• Add the fresh mushrooms, season with salt, and sauté until soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the wine and continue cooking until reduced by half, 5 to 6 minutes more.
• Using your hand, scoop the porcini out of the soaking water, being careful not to disturb the water-you want the crud to stay settled. Put the porcini in a food processor, ladle in about 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid, and purée to a very smooth paste.
• Add the porcini paste, 2 cups of the porcini water, and 1 cup of the stock to the pan; toss in the thyme bundle and the bay leaf. Taste and season with salt if needed. Bring the liquid to a boil (BTB) and reduce to a simmer (RTS). Simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, adding more stock if needed; this sauce should be saucy but not soupy. Remove the thyme bundle and bay leaf before serving. Serve tossed with pasta or gnocchi or over polenta.

WILD-MUSHROOM RAGU WITH POLENTA

Steps:

• Place the dried mushrooms in a medium mixing bowl, and cover with boiling water. Let the mushrooms stand until softened, about 20 minutes. Lift the mushrooms from the water, and gently squeeze the liquid back into the bowl. Cut the larger mushrooms in half, and strain the liquid through a cheesecloth-lined strainer; set aside.
• In a large high-sided skillet, combine the olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter, and place the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the white button mushrooms, and saute, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the onions, garlic, celery, savory, thyme, marjoram, and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to medium low, and saute until the onions are translucent and softened, about 10 minutes.
• Add the dried mushrooms, reserved mushroom liquid, tomatoes, Marsala, and 2 cups chicken stock, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer the ragu until the liquid has thickened slightly and is reduced by two-thirds, 35 to 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine the remaining 5 cups chicken stock, 2 tablespoons butter, and 1 teaspoon salt, and bring to a boil. While whisking rapidly, add the polenta in a thin steady stream. Reduce the heat to low, and cook the polenta, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes. Divide the polenta among six plates, cover each serving with the mushroom ragu; serve immediately.

WILD MUSHROOM RAGOUT

Steps:

• Place a large, deep skillet over medium heat and add the butter and oil. Add the carrots, onion, celery and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Clean the mushrooms, trimming or removing tough stems depending on the variety, and cutting any that are very large into smaller pieces. Add the mushrooms to the skillet and continue to cook until the mushrooms are soft and lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
• Add the stock, sherry, bay leaf and tomato paste and simmer gently until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Season the mushrooms to taste with salt and pepper, stir in the savory and parsley and transfer the mixture to a casserole dish. Sprinkle the top with the cheese and bake until the cheese is melted and lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately with buttered pasta or rice on the side.