Wild Mushroom Ragoût
introduction
It’s hard to quantify the impact of wild mushrooms melted down with perfumed shallots and glazed with reduced cream. But it reminds us of the Arnold Arboretum on a late afternoon in November: a scent of sweet leaf mold, the dark bite of earth, a trace of wild thyme, faraway wood smoke. Toast, vol au vent, crêpe, quiche, cracker, grits, who cares? Each of them will be thrilled to offer a moment’s sanctuary to our wild mushroom ragoût.
equipment mise en place
For this recipe, you will need a 2½-quart saucepan, a whisk, a large skillet, and a wooden spoon.
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1cup heavy cream
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½teaspoon minced fresh thyme (or ¼ teaspoon dried)
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⅛teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
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¼cup finely grated Parmesan Reggiano
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1teaspoon olive oil
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8ounces small cremini mushrooms, cleaned, stemmed, and quartered
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4ounces assorted wild mushrooms, cleaned and, if large, sliced
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2medium shallots, minced (2 tablespoons)
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1small garlic clove, minced
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½teaspoon fine sea salt
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½teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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1tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
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Pour the cream into a 2½-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan and simmer over low heat until it is thick and reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Whisk in the thyme, nutmeg, and Parmesan. Remove from the heat and set aside.
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Heat a large skillet over high heat for 2 minutes. Add the olive oil and swirl to coat. Add the cremini mushrooms. Sear and toss intermittently until the mushrooms release their juices and begin to brown, about 3 minutes. Stir in the wild mushrooms, shallots, and garlic and continue to toss over high heat until the mushrooms are tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in the salt and pepper. Add the reserved reduced cream and parsley and stir to coat. Taste for seasoning. Serve immediately.