Wildly Delicious Wild Mushroom Fettuccine Food

WILDLY DELICIOUS WILD MUSHROOM FETTUCCINE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Add in shallots; saute 2 minutes; then add in mushrooms.
• Saute mushrooms 2 minutes, then cover pan; decrease heat to medium-low, and cook 3-5 minutes, until juices are extracted and mushrooms are dark and tender.
• Uncover and increase heat to medium; add in thyme, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
• Toss mushrooms with a good shake of the pan.
• Add in sherry; reduce liquid by half, 2-3 minutes.
• Add in broth, then cream; simmer until sauce thickens so that it coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.
• Toss with hot pasta; top with chives and toasted hazelnuts.
• Serve with grated cheese (also crusty bread and a green salad).

PASTA WITH WILD MUSHROOM SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large stock pot, bring salted water to a boil.
• In a large saute pan, over high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and saute for 1 minute, just until beginning to turn translucent. Add the marjoram and saute 1 more minute. Add the mushrooms and saute until they begin to brown and release their liquid, about 5 minutes. Add the Mushroom Stock and reduce 5 minutes. Add the cream and reduce about 5 minutes, or until the sauce begins to thicken. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• Cook pasta until al dente. Drain and quickly toss with mushroom sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Divide onto serving plates and serve immediately garnished with marjoram sprigs.
• Combine the chicken stock and mushrooms in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by half. Strain.

FETTUCCINE WITH MUSHROOMS AND ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• 1. Bring 6 quarts water to a boil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over high heat, then add 2 tablespoons salt.
• 2. While waiting for the water to boil, heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and pepper flakes and sauté quickly to keep the ingredients from scorching. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until the mushrooms darken slightly in color and are softened but still holding their shape, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and asparagus and cook, stirring gently, for 2 minutes. Stir in the cream, immediately reduce the heat to keep it from scorching, and cook for several minutes.
• 3. Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a sauté pan over low heat, shaking the pan, just until they are warm and fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• 4. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, 7 to 9 minutes from the time the water returns to a boil (10 minutes if you are using pappardelle).
• 5. Add the basil, butter, pine nuts, and cheese to the pan with the mushrooms and toss well.
• 6. Reserve a cup or so of the pasta's cooking liquid, then drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the mushrooms, asparagus, and sauce. If the sauce seems too dry, stir in a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water. Toss, taste, and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, and more pepper flakes if necessary.
• 7. Present the pasta in a bowl and serve family style from the center of the table, or divide among individual plates.
• Your Nightly Specials
• Mushrooms: Instead of using the cremini, use 1 cup dried porcini mushrooms.
• Dried Mushrooms: Dried mushrooms like porcini, morel, and chanterelle offer a quick way to add flavor to cooking and are especially useful in the off season or winter months. Always rinse dried mushrooms under cold running water to remove any lingering dirt and sand, then reconstitute them in hot water for 20 minutes, drain, and strain the liquid. Save the liquid for soups and sauces. Keeping a small packet of dried mushrooms, which costs just a few dollars, in your pantry will five earthy flavor on demand.
• Use a spice grinder to grind dried porcini to a powder. This seasoning powder will very economically make a full pot of risotto taste like a much more costly version, something many restaurants do to make flavors pop. Add 1 tablespoon to the finished mushrooms for a powerful and full flavor at an economical price.
• Porcini Mushrooms: Fresh porcini are among the most delicious of mushrooms. When they are available each fall, by all means use them, although they are expensive and need to be cooked as quickly as possible because they are highly perishable.
• Add 1/2 cup of blanched and shocked fresh or frozen peas, spincach, and/or broccoli buds.
• Toss some shredded, leftover roasted turkey or duck meat into the pan along with the cooked pasta.

FETTUCCINE WITH WILD MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat.
• Cook onions and garlic (with salt and pepper to taste) until lightly golden.
• Add mushrooms, turn up heat, and cook, stirring and tossing frequently, until soft, about 2 minutes.
• Pour in cream and add thyme; boil for 5 minutes to thicken.
• Stir in lemon juice and soy sauce and remove from heat.
• Pour sauce over hot linguine and toss well.
• Top with Parmesan cheese.