Mushroom Ragout

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            FOOD FUNNY
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Thanks to L. Hadley in Florida for this one:

A French guest, staying in a American hotel, called room service for
some pepper. "Black pepper or white pepper?" asked the concierge.

"Toilette pepper!" replied the indignant Frenchman.

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            TODAY'S RECIPE
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This vegetarian stew is rich and satisfying all by itself, but you
might consider serving it on mashed potatoes, polenta, or noodles.
This recipe calls for five different mushrooms that are widely
available throughout the USA, but be sure to use any combination of
mushrooms available in your area.

Mushroom Ragout

1/2 oz (15 g) dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup (250 ml) hot water
4 Tbs (60 ml) butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 lb (450 g) portobello mushrooms, stems discarded
and caps halved and cut into 1/2-inch (2 cm) slices
10 oz (280 g) white button mushrooms, trimmed and halved
4 oz (110 g) shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded
and caps thinly sliced
4 oz (110 g) oyster mushrooms, stems discarded and
caps halved or quartered, depending on size
3-6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp (5 ml) chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp (5 ml) chopped fresh sage leaves
1 tsp (5 ml) chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup (60 ml) Madeira or dry sherry
1 can (15 oz, 225 g) chopped tomatoes
1 tsp (5 ml) balsamic or red wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Soak the porcini in the hot water for 20 to 30 minutes. Drain the
mushrooms reserving the liquid. Finely chop the mushrooms and set
aside. Strain the mushroom liquid through a coffee filter and set
aside. Heat the butter in a large pot over moderate heat and saute
the onion until tender and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add the
portobello, white button, and shiitake mushrooms and saute for 10
minutes, stirring frequently. Add the chopped porcini, oyster
mushrooms, garlic, and herbs and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the
Madeira and the reserved mushroom soaking liquid, scraping the bottom
of the pot to dissolve the brown bits. Add the tomatoes, vinegar,
salt, and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 10
minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley. Serves 4 to 6.
Received on Sun Jan 4 02:40:38 2004