Mushroom Puree Food

DRIED MUSHROOM PUREE

Steps:

• Combine the mushrooms with 2 1/2 cups of water in a 4- or 6-cup saucepan and turn the heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so the mixture simmers gently. Cook until the mushrooms are tender, about 15 minutes.
• Remove the mushrooms with a slotted spoon and put in a blender. Strain the liquid through a paper towel put in a sieve or through a couple of layers of cheesecloth; there will be about 1 cup. Add most of the liquid to the mushrooms and puree, adding the remaining liquid if necessary to allow the machine to do its work.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve or cover and refrigerate for up to a couple of days.
• While the basic sauce mushroom, salt, pepper, and water is surprisingly complex, you can give it additional depth by adding one-or all-of the following to the blender during step 2:
• A peeled shallot or small garlic clove
• 1 teaspoon or more fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 1 tablespoon or more port, tomato paste, or soy sauce In each case, be sure to taste the puree before you remove it from the blender; the mushroom flavor is so strong that it may take a relatively large quantity of a complementary ingredient to make an impression.

ROASTED CHATEAUBRIAND WITH RED WINE-MUSHROOM REDUCTION AND POMMES PUREE

Steps:

• Boil the potatoes: Add the potatoes to a medium pot with the cream, garlic, butter and some kosher salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork, about 25 minutes.
• Cook the chateaubriand: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Let the beef rest at room temperature for 15 minutes, then season with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large, oven-safe skillet over high heat until it shimmers, about 2 minutes. Set the meat in the pan and sear it on all sides until browned, about 8 minutes total. Reduce the heat to low and add 2 tablespoons of the butter, the mushrooms, garlic and the thyme. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook the roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 125 to 130 degrees F., 6 to 8 minutes for medium-rare. Remove the skillet from the oven, transfer the roast to a cutting board, loosely tent with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes.
• Make the red wine reduction: Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl and pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan (discard the garlic and thyme). Set the skillet over medium-high heat, add the shallot and red wine, and cook, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the pan is almost dry, about 2 minutes. Add the broth and cream, bring to a boil, and simmer until the sauce thickens, 3 to 5 minutes. Return the mushrooms to the pan, adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed.
• Make the pomme puree: Place a colander over a large bowl. Pour the hot potatoes into the colander. Shake the potatoes to drain off the excess liquid. Press the potatoes through a ricer (or mash them with a fork for a chunkier texture) and into a medium bowl, occasionally clearing the sides of the ricer with a spoon. Pour the reserved and still-hot cream over the potatoes in small increments, folding in to combine, until you get your desired consistency. Season with olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt and serve immediately, or keep warm in a covered oven-safe casserole dish in a 250 degree F. oven.
• To serve, remove the twine from the roast and slice the roast crosswise into 2 equal portions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spoon the potato puree onto 2 warm plates. Place a slice of chateaubriand on each plate and spoon the red wine-mushroom reduction over the top. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves and serve.

MUSHROOM PUREE

Steps:

• Place oil in hot pan. Saute onion and garlic until translucent.
• Deglaze with wine.
• Add mushrooms and cook until soft.
• Add rosemary, cream and salt and reduce slightly. Puree. Makes 1 cup or enough for 2 pizza dough rounds.

PURéED MUSHROOM SOUP

Steps:

• Place the dried porcinis in a bowl or pyrex measuring cup and cover with 2 cups boiling water. Let sit for 30 minutes. Line a strainer with cheesecloth and set over a bowl. Drain the porcinis through a cheesecloth-lined strainer. Squeeze the mushrooms over the strainer to extract as much flavorful liquid as possible. Rinse in several changes of water and set aside. Measure the mushroom soaking water and add water or stock to make 6 cups.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven and add the onion and leek and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until tender and, about 5 to 8 minutes. Do not brown. Add a generous pinch of salt and the garlic and cook, stirring, until the garlic smells fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the fresh and reconstituted mushrooms and cook, stirring, until they begin to sweat and smell fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add the rice, stock, bouquet garni, soy sauce and salt to taste, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer 45 minutes. Remove the bouquet garni and the parmesan rind if using.
• In batches, blend the soup until smooth. Fill the blender less than half way and cover the top with a towel pulled down tight, rather than airtight with the lid, because hot soup will jump and push the top off if the blender is closed airtight. Return to the pot, taste and adjust salt, and add pepper and the sherry, if using. Add the milk or another half cup of stock and heat through, stirring. If the soup still seems too thick, thin out a little more but remember to taste and adjust seasoning. Serve in espresso cups or in bowls, garnishing each serving with chopped or torn flat-leaf parsley.

DRIED MUSHROOM PUREE

Steps:

• Combine mushrooms with 2 1/2 cups water in 4- or 6-cup saucepan, and turn heat to medium-high. Bring to boil, then adjust the heat so the mixture simmers gently. Cook until mushrooms are tender, 15 minutes.
• Remove mushrooms with slotted spoon, and place in container of blender. Strain liquid from pan through a paper towel placed in a sieve, or through a couple layers of cheesecloth; there will be about 1 cup. Add most of the liquid to the mushrooms, and puree, adding remaining liquid, if necessary. (Reserve some liquid, if making a risotto or grain dish.)
• Season to taste with salt and pepper; serve, or cover and refrigerate. Bring back to room temperature before serving.

CHEF JOHN'S CREAMY MUSHROOM SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium-high heat; cook mushrooms in butter with 1 pinch salt until the mushrooms give off their juices; reduce heat to low. Continue to cook, stirring often, until juices evaporate and the mushrooms are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Set aside a few attractive mushroom slices for garnish later, if desired. Mix onion into mushrooms and cook until onion is soft and translucent, about 5 more minutes.
• Stir flour into mushroom mixture and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes to remove raw flour taste. Tie thyme sprigs into a small bundle with kitchen twine and add to mushroom mixture; add garlic cloves. Pour chicken stock and water into mushroom mixture. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 hour. Remove thyme bundle.
• Transfer soup to a blender in small batches and puree on high speed until smooth and thick.
• Return soup to pot and stir in cream. Season with salt and black pepper and serve in bowls, garnished with reserved mushroom slices and a few thyme leaves.