Baked Potatoes With Creamy Mushroom Ragout By Isabelle Boucher Of Crumb A Food Blog

BAKED POTATOES WITH CREAMY MUSHROOM RAGOUT

Steps:

• Bake the Potatoes:.
• Preheat oven to 425°F Rub the potatoes with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and prick all over with a fork. Place on a baking sheet, and bake in preheated oven for 45-60 minutes, or until a fork pierced through the skin meets no resistance.
• Prepare the Mushroom Ragout:.
• While the potatoes are baking, prepare the ragout.
• In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan set over medium heat, heat the butter and olive oil until butter is melted and foamy. Add shallots and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes longer, or until the mushrooms are soft and starting to brown. In a small bowl, whisk together white wine and flour until smooth. Add to the pan along with chicken broth and paprika. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until thick. Stir in the sour cream and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes to heat through (make sure not to bring to a boil, as this can cause the sauce to curdle). Remove from heat immediately, and stir in dill and parsley. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
• Assembly:.
• Once the potatoes are done, transfer them to a cutting board to cool for 5 minutes.
• Cut a slit through the top of each potato, and gently push on the ends to create a small pocket for the topping. Sprinkle the inside of each potato with a little salt.
• Ladle a generous amount of mushroom ragout onto each potato, letting the excess spill over the sides and onto the plate (yes, it's messy, but it's the best part!). Finish with a sprinkling of parsley or dill, if desired, and lots of black pepper. Serve immediately.
• Isabelle Boucher is a well known food blogger who resides in Toronto, working in the Telecom industry by day and whipping up tasty creations by night. Follow her blog, Crumb: A Food Blog, where her tasty recipes and photos are documented.
• http://www.crumbblog.com/.

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.

CREAMY MUSHROOM-POTATO BAKE

Steps:

• Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Drain and mash (do not add butter or milk)., In a large skillet, saute onion and mushrooms in 2 tablespoons butter for 3-4 minutes or until just tender. Stir into potatoes along with sour cream, pepper and remaining salt. , Spoon into a greased 2-qt. baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese; dot with remaining butter. , Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until heated through and golden brown.

MUSHROOM RAGOUT

Steps:

• Clean the mushrooms by brushing with a kitchen towel or a brush to remove any loose dirt.
• Remove the shitake stems and discard.
• Quarter the mushrooms and set aside.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add the mushrooms to the skillet in a single layer in the pan.
• Do not pile the mushrooms on top of one another.
• Increase the heat to high and cook mushrooms until brown then turn them over with a spoon or by shaking the pan.
• If skillet seems dry add the additional 2 tablespoons butter.
• Cook until nicely browned, about 5 minutes.
• Add the shallot or onion and garlic and cooked until softened about 3 minutes.
• Add the salt, pepper, and thyme.
• Add the Madeira wine and scrape up all of the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
• Add the heavy cream and bring to a boil.
• Cook for about 45 seconds to 1 minute.
• Remove from heat and serve.

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.

MUSHROOM RAGOUT

Steps:

• Pour beef broth into a saucepan and add bouillon cube. Bring to a rapid boil over high heat for 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and let simmer for at least 30 minutes. Set aside 3 tablespoons for ragout; store remaining broth in the refrigerator for another use.
• Heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add 1/2 teaspoon oil. Add portobello mushrooms and sear, 3 to 5 minutes. Set portabellos aside.
• Sear shiitake mushrooms over medium-high heat in the same pan without adding more oil, 3 to 5 minutes. Set shiitakes aside.
• Reheat the same pan over medium-high heat and add remaining 1 teaspoon oil. Add garlic and cook until browned, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and wine; cook for 2 minutes. Add reserved beef broth and cook for 3 minutes.
• Stir portabello and shiitake mushrooms into the pan and cook, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in butter gently until ragout is coated. Top with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.