This is a very tasty and filling dinner that works well on a cold night served on top of mashed potatoes. It comes from Melissa Clark in NYTimes Cooking and became our Christmas dinner as we sought to try something new. We were not disappointed.
For this you’ll need: 3-4 cups assorted mushrooms (sliced; we used shiitake, crimini and white – but oyster and chanterelles also works just fine), 1-1/2 cups vegetable stock, 1-1/2 cups red wine, 1 white onion (chopped) or 2 cups pearl onions, 2 carrots (sliced), 2 leeks (chopped), 3 garlic cloves (crushed and chopped), 1 Tbsp tomato paste, 2-1/2 Tbsp flour, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 3 fresh thyme sprigs, 2 bay leaves, 4-6 Tbsp butter, olive oil, salt and pepper.
Heat about 2 Tbsp olive oil and the same of butter in a dutch over over medium heat. Saving about 1-2 cups of the mushrooms for a topping later, place half of the onions and half of the mushrooms in and allow to cook on one side until browned – about 5 mins. Turn with a wooden spoon and cook until both sides are browned, about another 5 mins. Remove these with a slotted spoon to a separate bowl, season to your liking with some salt and pepper, and then repeat the process for the remaining onions and mushrooms. Remove the second batch to the bowl and repeat as many times as needed to brown all of the mushrooms and onions.
Add another 2 Tbsp oil and 2 Tbsp butter to the dutch oven and add the carrots and leeks and stir over medium heat until just beginning to soften – about 3-5 mins. Add x2 of the chopped garlic cloves and stir in for about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and stir to combine everything together – about another minute. Add the flour and stir everything into a dry pasty mess – about another minute more. Add the stock, wine, soy sauce, thyme and bay leaves making sure to scrape up any of the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Bring to to boil, reduce heat to a simmer, partially cover the pot and let cook until thickened – about 20 mins.
Meanwhile, in a separate skillet, melt some oil and butter and sauté the mushrooms you held back until browned on all sides – about 8 mins. Turn off the heat and cover the skillet.
Mash some potatoes or cook some polenta and create a simple bowl shape with them on a plate. Add the final remaining chopped garlic clove to the mushroom mixture and stir well. Turn off the heat and season with salt and pepper to your liking (you can also add another splash of the soy sauce if needed). Spoon the mushroom mixture over the top of your potato/polenta “bowl” and then add your browned mushrooms over the top. Serve immediately.
Dinner at Our Place 