Zucchini Cakes With Mushroom Ragout Food

ZUCCHINI CAKES WITH HERB SOUR CREAM

Steps:

• Make the herb sour cream: Whisk the sour cream, chives and dill in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• Make the zucchini cakes: Mix the zucchini, breadcrumbs, parmesan, basil, oregano, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the buttermilk, then stir the egg mixture into the zucchini mixture.
• In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Working in batches, form patties with the zucchini batter (about 1/4 cup for each) and add to the skillet. Pan-fry the cakes until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Serve while hot and crisp with the herb sour cream.

ZUCCHINI RAGOUT

Steps:

• Heat an 8-quart saucepan over medium heat with olive oil. Add the onion and garlic, and sweat for 2 minutes. Add the peppers and saute for 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and zucchini, and cook down for 10 more minutes. Add the vinegar and simmer for 2 more minutes. Check seasonings and remove from heat. Add the basil and serve.

MUSHROOM RAGOUT 'GRAVY'

Steps:

• Place dried mushrooms in a bowl or tempered glass measuring cup, 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 mushrooms. Squeeze the mushrooms over the strainer to extract all the flavorful juices, and set aside the liquid in the bowl. Then rinse the mushrooms, away from the bowl with the soaking liquid, until they are free of sand. Squeeze dry and set aside. If very large, chop coarsely.
• Heat oil in a large, heavy nonstick skillet or saucepan over medium heat, and add onion or shallots. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, stir together for about 30 seconds, and then add in all the mushrooms except the reconstituted porcini mushrooms and salt to taste. Cook, stirring often, until mushrooms begin to soften and to sweat, about 5 minutes.
• Add the flour and continue to cook 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, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Add rosemary and sage or thyme, stir together, and stir in mushroom soaking liquid and stock. Bring to a simmer, add salt to taste, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until mushrooms are thoroughly tender and fragrant and the surrounding broth is thick and gravy-like, about 20 minutes. If you want a thicker "gravy," remove a cup and blend until smooth in a blender or a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Stir back into the ragout.
• Remove from the heat, stir in some freshly ground pepper, taste and adjust salt. Set aside in the refrigerator overnight.

MUSHROOM RAGU

Steps:

• In a large skillet heat the oil. When almost smoking, add the onions and garlic over medium-low heat until the onions have wilted, about 8 minutes. Add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Raise heat to high and saute until mushrooms are tender and all the liquid has evaporated. Remove pan from heat and pour in Marsala. Return pan to stove and allow wine to evaporate, about 3 minutes. Add chicken broth and simmer for 1/2 hour until the sauce has reduced by half. Add heavy cream and mix well. Take the pan off the heat and add the fresh herbs and Parmesan and mix thoroughly.