Wild Mushroom Ragout With Bacon And Farro Food

ROASTED POULTRY, WILD BOAR BACON, AND MUSHROOM FARRO WITH PAN-ROASTED FENNEL AND CARROTS

Steps:

• In a large stockpot, combine the bones, water, carrots, onion, celery, rosemary, sage, and peppercorns and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 3 hours, skimming occasionally. Strain the stock. Measure 3 1/2 cups of stock for cooking the farro, and reserve any leftovers for later use.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Cut each of the game hens, chickens, or pigeons in half then season all over with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• In a large sauté pan over moderately high heat, warm the oil. Working in batches, add the birds, skin side down, to the pan and sear until the skin is golden brown and caramelized. Transfer the birds, as done, to a roasting pan or large rimmed baking sheet and roast in the oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (do not touch the bone) registers 165°F.
• In a medium saucepan over moderate heat, cook the bacon until crispy. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and pour half the rendered bacon fat into a medium sauté pan and set aside. Add the shallot to the original saucepan and sauté, stirring occasionally, until translucent then add the farro and sauté, stirring occasionally, until just toasted. Add the reserved 3 1/2 cups of stock to the farro and bring to a simmer. Continue simmering until soft and tender.
• While the farro is simmering, heat the rendered bacon fat in the medium sauté pan. Add the mushrooms and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the liquid released by the mushrooms is evaporated, about 5 minutes. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the mushrooms and bacon to the farro and stir to combine. Keep warm.
• In a small saucepan over moderately low heat, bring the olive oil, sage, and peppercorns to a simmer. Shut off the heat and let the oil cool until it's fragrant with sage and peppercorn. Once cool, strain the oil.
• In small saucepan over moderate heat, bring the blackberries, currants, red wine, honey, and vinegar to a simmer. Continue simmering until the mixture is thick and jamlike, 8 to 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 450°F.
• Arrange the fennel and carrots in separate baking dishes or baking sheets. Drizzle each with 1 tablespoon olive oil then season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast, turning occasionally, until tender and well caramelized, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl, drizzle with the maple syrup and vinegar, season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, if desired, and toss to combine.
• Divide the farro among 4 plates, then top each with vegetables and poultry. Garnish the plates with the berry compote and sage oil.

FARRO WITH MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Place the farro in a bowl, and pour on enough hot water to cover by an inch. Let soak while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Drain.
• Place the dried mushrooms in a large Pyrex measuring cup or bowl, and pour in 2 cups boiling water. Let sit 30 minutes.
• Drain the mushrooms through a strainer set over a bowl and lined with cheesecloth or a paper towel. Squeeze the mushrooms over the strainer, then rinse in several changes of water to remove grit. Chop coarsely if the pieces are large and set aside. Add the broth from the mushrooms to the stock. You should have 6 cups (add water if necessary). Place in a saucepan, and bring to a simmer. Season with salt to taste.
• Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy nonstick skillet. Add the onion. Cook, stirring, until it begins to soften, about three minutes. Add the fresh mushrooms. Cook, stirring, until they begin to soften and sweat. Add salt to taste, the garlic and rosemary. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms are tender, about five minutes. Add the farro and reconstituted dried mushrooms. Cook, stirring, until the grains of farro are separate and beginning to crackle, about two minutes. Stir in the wine and cook, stirring until the wine has been absorbed. Add all but about 1 cup of the stock, and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer 50 minutes or until the farro is tender; some of the grains will be beginning to splay. Remove the lid, and stir vigorously from time to time. Taste and adjust seasoning. There should be some liquid remaining in the pot but not too much. If the farro is submerged in stock, raise the heat and cook until there is just enough to moisten the grains, like a sauce. If there is not, stir in the remaining stock. If not serving right away, cover and let stand. Just before serving, bring back to a simmer, add the Parmesan, parsley and pepper, and stir together. Remove from the heat and serve.

FARRO WITH WILD MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Place porcini mushrooms in a bowl and cover with warm water; soak until mushrooms are reconstituted, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain and chop mushrooms.
• Heat olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Saute brown mushrooms with a pinch of salt in hot oil until slightly golden and moisture cooks off, 5 to 10 minutes. Add chopped porcini mushrooms, reduce heat to medium, and cook and stir until hot, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Stir onion into mushrooms; cook and stir until translucent and golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Pour farro into mushroom mixture; stir until farro is coated in olive oil. Increase heat to high and add 1 cup chicken broth with a pinch of salt to mushroom mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pot with a lid, and simmer, stirring once, until liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes.
• Increase heat to high and stir remaining chicken broth into farro mixture; bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pot with a lid, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until farro is starting to get tender, about 15 minutes. Remove the lid from the pot and continue simmering uncovered until farro reaches desired tenderness, about 15 minutes more.
• Reduce heat to low; stir creme fraiche and parsley into farro mixture. Season with salt and black pepper. Stir Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese into farro and ladle into bowls.

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.

ROAST PHEASANT WITH WILD MUSHROOM, POTATO & BACON RAGOUT

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Pour about 200ml of hot water from the kettle over the mushrooms and leave to soak for 20 mins. Drain, reserving the liquid. Squeeze any excess liquid from the mushrooms, but keep them whole.
• Generously season the pheasant all over. Heat the sunflower oil in a shallow flameproof dish and slowly brown the legs, turning frequently, for 20 mins. Brown the breast for a further 10 mins, then remove from the dish. Add the bacon to the dish and sizzle until starting to crisp. Throw in the potatoes, increase the heat and fry with the bacon until brown around the edges. Add the mushrooms and fry to heat through. Pour in the wine, sizzle for a moment, and pour over the reserved mushroom liquid, keeping the last drop back as it may be gritty. Nestle the pheasant, breast-side up, in the middle of the dish and roast in the oven for 25 mins.
• Remove from the oven, lift the pheasant onto a plate, cover loosely with foil, then leave to rest for about 15 mins. Tip any resting juices into the potatoes, stir in the parsley, then transfer everything into a serving dish. Put the watercress in a bowl and toss with a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with the potato ragout and the pheasant ready to carve.

WILD MUSHROOM RAGOUT

Steps:

• In a large heavy bottomed pot over high temperature heat the oil until very hot.
• Add the mushrooms all at one, and saute on high until they release their liquid, stirring occasionally.
• When the liquid has evaporated from the bottom of the pot, add the wine and chopped herbs, stir, and saute until the wine and liquid is almost completely reduced.
• Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper, and serve hot.
• Note: this dish would also be tasty with a combination of other mushrooms, such as porcini and morels!

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.

FARRO WITH WILD MUSHROOMS AND HERBS

Steps:

• Cook farro in boiling salted water until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, let cool, and set aside. DO AHEAD: Farro can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers (the oil needs to be very hot to crisp the mushrooms). Working in batches, add a single layer of mushrooms to skillet. Cook, turning once, until crisp and cooked through, 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a plate; season with salt and pepper.
• Bring broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add farro and cook, stirring often, until heated through. Season farro with salt and pepper. Add butter and stir vigorously to combine and create a creamy texture. Add mushrooms, parsley, chives, and thyme; stir just to evenly incorporate. Serve immediately.

WILD MUSHROOM RAGOUT WITH BACON AND FARRO

Steps:

• Put the farro into a medium saucepan, add water to cover it by two inches, pour in 2 teaspoons of salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently until the farro is tender, about 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, fry the bacon in a heavy skillet set over medium heat until it is crisp, transfer to absorbent paper and let it drain. Set aside.
• Clean the mushrooms, brushing off any soil; break them into large bite-size pieces. Set aside.
• Pour off the bacon fat, leaving any bits of bacon and a some of the fat in the pan. Put 2 tablespoons of the butter in the pan, reduce the heat to low and when the butter is melted, add the shallots. Cook slowly until soft and fragrant, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic, saute two minutes more and season with salt.
• Add 1 tablespoon of the remaining butter to the pan and when it is melted, add the cleaned mushrooms, the white wine and the thyme sprigs. Increase the heat to medium and when the liquid boils, cover the pan, reduce the heat to low and cook until the mushrooms are tender. Add 1 tablespoon of the remaining butter to the pan and when it is melted, add the cleaned mushrooms, the white wine and the thyme sprigs. Increase the heat to medium and when the liquid boils, cover the pan, reduce the heat to low and cook until the mushrooms are tender. Check the mushrooms after 5 minutes; it can take as long as 20 minutes, depending on the type of mushroom used. When the mushrooms are fully tender, uncover the pan and simmer to thicken the juices. Use tongs to remove and discard the thyme sprigs.
• Crush or chop the bacon and fold it into the mushrooms. Taste, correct for salt and season with several generous turns of black pepper.
• Drain off any water that remains with the farro and spoon the farro into individual soup plates. Top with mushroom ragout, sprinkle with herbs and serve.