Wild Mushroom Ragù Recipes

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.

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.

POTATO GNOCCHI WITH PORK AND WILD MUSHROOM RAGù

Steps:

• Place dried porcini mushrooms in medium bowl; pour 1 1/2 cups boiling water over. Let stand until mushrooms are soft, about 45 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer mushrooms to cutting board and chop coarsely. Reserve soaking liquid.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add crimini mushrooms and garlic; sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper and sauté until beginning to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup wine and simmer until crimini mushrooms are soft, about 4 minutes. Set aside (there may still be liquid in skillet).
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle pork with coarse salt and pepper. Add pork to pot and sauté until browned in spots, about 6 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pork to medium bowl. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot. Reduce heat to medium. Add coppa and stir 1 minute. Add sausages and cook until brown, breaking up into small pieces with back of spoon, about 3 minutes. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Cover pot and cook vegetables until soft, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add remaining 2 cups wine; bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer until almost all liquid is absorbed. Add tomatoes, 1 cup broth, bay leaves, reserved pork, and porcini mushrooms. Pour in reserved porcini soaking liquid, leaving any sediment behind in bowl. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered until pork is tender, adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls if dry, about 1 hour.
• Stir crimini mushroom mixture in skillet into ragù. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Chill uncovered until cool. Cover; keep chilled. Rewarm before continuing.
• Spoon off fat from surface of ragù stir in basil. Add Potato Gnocchi; toss gently to coat. Simmer over medium heat until gnocchi are heated through, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Divide gnocchi and ragù among bowls. Sprinkle with some of cheese and serve, passing remaining cheese alongside.
• Available in the produce section of many supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Italian markets.
• What to drink:
• Pair this rich dish with a medium-bodied red with good acidity, like the 2007 Danzante Chianti ($11, Italy).

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.

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.

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.