Wild Mushroom Fricassee Food

MUSHROOM FRICASSEE WITH CREAMY POLENTA

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, heat the 6 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots, season lightly with salt, and cook, stirring, until the shallots just begin to color, about 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms, thyme, and the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their liquid, about 2 minutes. Add the Chicken Reduction, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced by half and has a saucy consistency, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the preserved truffles (if using). If the mixture thickens too much -- you want the mushrooms to be swimming in the sauce but there should be a mushroom in every bite -- add 2 tablespoons of the Chicken Reduction to thin it out a bit. Stir in the chives and crushed red pepper.
• Divide the Creamy Polenta among serving bowls. Top with the mushrooms and their cooking liquid and serve immediately.
• Heat a convection oven to 425 degrees F or a conventional oven to 450 degrees F.
• Rinse the chicken bones and pat them dry. Spread them out on two rimmed baking sheets in a single layer with a little room between the bones. Roast until golden brown, about 1 hour, flipping and turning the bones every 15 minutes or so.
• In a large stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the rosemary and garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the celery, onion, and carrot, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are well browned, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, and cook, stirring, until some of the juices evaporate, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the wine and cook until almost all of it has evaporated. Add the chicken bones (with juices and drippings) to the stockpot, then add enough water to cover everything by about 2 inches (about 6 quarts). Increase the heat to medium-high, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium to cook at a gentle simmer, stirring often to break up the bones and emulsify the fat, until the chicken is falling off the bones and the stock has a full flavor, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
• Remove the chicken bones and strain the broth several times through a chinois or other fine-mesh strainer. If you want to make and use the reduction right away, spoon off any visible fat floating on top of the stock. Otherwise, chill the stock until the fat solidifies on top, and then scrape off and discard most of it.
• Pour the defatted stock into a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat slightly so the stock is not boiling so furiously. As the stock simmers, some of it will remain on the sides of the saucepan; use a spoon or ladle to pour some of the stock over this to deglaze it. (This will further increase the intensity of the flavor.) Continue simmering until the stock has darkened, thickened, and reduced to about 4 cups, about 30 minutes. The reduction can be refrigerated for 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months. Yield: 4 cups
• In a large, heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat, heat the cream and milk until warm, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the salt and keep whisking until the liquid is very frothy (like a cappuccino) and hot. While still whisking, slowly rain the polenta into the pot. Continue to whisk until the granules swell, about 8 minutes. At this point, switch to a wooden spoon to stir the polenta. (It will get too thick for the whisk.) Keep stirring until the polenta has begun to thicken, about 5 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium and cook until it evenly begins to bubble. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and cook, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes, until cooked through and the liquid has reduced, about 1 1/2 hours. The polenta might look "done" sooner, but it does continue to soften, so be patient. During this time, a skin might form on the bottom of the pan, which is fine.
• Just before serving, raise the heat to medium-high, stir in the butter and the cheese, and cook, stirring, until the butter is melted, then take the pot off the heat. If the polenta looks thin, don't worry, as it will thicken as it cools. Yield: 8 to 10 servings

WILD MUSHROOM FRICASSEE OVER POLENTA

Steps:

• Bring 3 cups chicken broth to a boil in a covered pot. While the broth is coming to a boil, start fricassee. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and butter. When butter melts into oil, add mushrooms and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, 10 minutes or until mushrooms are all dark and tender. Add vinegar to the pan and stir to coat. The vinegar will cook away in about 1 minute. Add stock to the pan and scallions. Toss to combine.
• Stir quick cooking polenta into boiling chicken stock until it masses. Stir in butter and cheese and season with salt and pepper, to your taste.
• Serve polenta topped with mushroom fricassee along side sage veal chops or other entree selection.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS AND WILD MUSHROOM FRICASSéE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 475°F. Arrange asparagus on rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle oil over and turn to coat. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast until just tender, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallot; sauté 1 minute. Add mushrooms; sauté until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Cover; cook until mushrooms are tender, about 3 minutes. Add wine; cook uncovered until wine is absorbed, about 2 minutes. Stir in parsley and tarragon. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Divide asparagus among 4 plates. Top each serving with mushrooms.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS AND WILD MUSHROOM FRICASSéE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 475°F Arrange asparagus on rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle oil over and turn to coat. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast until just tender, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallot; sauté 1 minute. Add mushrooms; sauté until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Cover; cook until mushrooms are tender, about 3 minutes. Add wine; cook uncovered until wine is absorbed, about 2 minutes. Stir in parsley and tarragon. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (this can be done ahead of time and warmed up just before serving).
• Divide asparagus among 4 plates. Top each serving with mushrooms.

TEMPEH AND WILD MUSHROOM FRICASSEE

Steps:

• Coat a pot with cooking spray then heat over med high. Add the tempeh when hot and saute until golden brown [about 8 minutes].
• Add the wine and the soy sauce and cook until liquid almost evaporates.
• Remove Tempeh. Add leeks and mushrooms [you may want to add a bit of broth] and saute 5 minutes then stir in flour and cook 1 minute stirring frequently.
• Make a bouquet of the celery leaves, thyme and parsley with some string. toss it, the garlic and broth into the pan. Stir well. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.
• Uncover and thicken by cooking. Toss the herbs. Stir in lemon and salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley. Garnish with rind.

WILD MUSHROOM FRICASSEE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan bring the white wine to the boil and boil for 30 seconds. Reserve.
• Brush any earth and dirt carefully off the wild mushrooms. Wash briefly (for 10-15 seconds at the most) in water and drain on a clean tea-towel. Set aside.
• Make the croutons by slicing the baguette into very thin slices. Toast the slices until golden brown and rub with the clove of peeled garlic.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large, heavy-based frying pan. Fry the chopped shallots, stirring, over medium heat for 30 seconds without allowing them to brown.
• Turn up the heat and add the garlic and all the wild mushrooms apart from the black trumpets.
• Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Add the reserved white wine and gently mix inches.
• Cover the frying pan with a large lid and cook over high heat for 1 minute.
• Uncover the mushrooms and add the lemon juice. Stir in the remaining butter until melted.
• Add two-thirds of the parsley leaves and the diced tomatoes. Cook for a further 10-30 seconds.
• Serve the mushrooms fricassee in either a large bowl or four soup plates. Sprinkle over the remaining parsley and serve with the croutons on the side.

TEMPEH AND WILD MUSHROOM FRICASSEE

Steps:

• Heat a Dutch oven coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add tempeh; sauté 8 minutes or until golden brown. Add wine and soy sauce; cook 15 seconds or until liquid almost evaporates. Remove tempeh from pan.
• Add leeks and mushrooms to pan; sauté 5 minutes. Stir in flour; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Tie celery leaves, thyme sprigs and parsley sprig together securely with string. Add herbs, garlic and broth to pan; bring to a boil. Add tempeh, stirring well. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
• Uncover and cook 3 minutes or until thick. Discard herbs. Stir in lemon juice, salt and pepper; sprinkle with parsley. Garnish each serving with 1/2 teaspoon lemon rind, if desired.