Five Dishes with Wild Mushrooms

Pan Seared Dry Aged Strip Steak with Morel Mushrooms

In this dish I pan seared one of the 21-day dry aged Circle M strip steaks that I previously cut from a whole strip loin. Once a good crust was formed on both sides, I proceeded to butter baste the steak topped with garlic and rosemary to infuse the flavors. I finished the dish with some fresh morels and cooked them down with Stone Hill Vineyard 2018 port wine into a rich sauce bound with butter. Lastly, I garnished it with glazed pearl onions and crispy fried pancetta. To accompany the steak, I prepared a baked stuffed tomato with garlic herb breadcrumbs and sauteed some fresh picked heirloom green beans from our late summer garden. Simply a fantastic combination of flavors in a preparation that could be offered in any world-class steak house.

Chicken Cutlets with Wild Mushroom Marsala Wine Sauce

Chicken Marsala is a classic Italian dish. However, in my version as seen here it is made extra special with the addition of sliced wild mushrooms. These mushrooms add a rich umami flavor that is extremely flavorful. Here is my recipe:

Wild Mushroom Marsala Wine Sauce

Yield 3 to 4 portions

2 cups                      Wild Mushrooms (morels, porcini, lobster mushrooms or mushrooms of choice) chopped

2 TBL                         Butter

1 tsp                          Garlic, fine chopped

1 tsp                          Shallots, minced

1 TBL                          Flour, all purpose

1 tsp                          Thyme leaves, fresh

2 TBL                         Parsley, chopped

¼ cup                        Marsala wine

1 cup                         Chicken stock or brown veal stock

1 cup                         Heavy Cream, reduced by half

                                  Salt, pepper, Marsala to adjust seasoning to taste if needed

1.    Cut morals in half down the middle and wash quickly with the other mushrooms to remove any dirt or sand, slice and chop

2.    Sautee over medium high heat in the butter

3.    Add the garlic and shallots

4.    Add the flour and stir well to make a thin roux

5.    Add the marsala, thyme and parsley

6.    Cook down slightly

7.    Add the stock and bring to a light boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer

8.    Cook while occasionally whisking to make a smooth base sauce

9.    Add the reduced cream and cook down to a nappe consistency (should coat the back of spoon)

10. Season to taste with salt, black pepper and a splash of Marsala if desired

11. Serve with sauteed chicken cutlets, veal or pork.

Wild Mushroom Quiche

To prepare this Quiche I first made a flaky pie dough and chilled it overnight. Then I rolled it out and blind baked it. In the next step I sauteed chopped bacon, sliced chanterelles and lobster mushrooms and lined the bottom of the crust. In the last step I covered it with grated Gruyère Swiss l cheese and filled it with a well-blended seasoned egg and half and half mix then baked it at 300F. My wife and I enjoyed this as a tasty brunch served with a tomato cucumber salad.

Chive Potato Gnocchi with Chanterelles and Maderia Wine

This dish is prepared with home-made chive potato Gnocchi. Store bought could also be used or a good pasta would work well also. When I prepared the Gnocchi, I only used half of the total amount and froze the rest for a later use. I served the gnocchi with pan fried trout fillets.

Shrimp Newburg Style with Lobster Mushrooms

Lobster Newburg is a classic French dish normally made with pearl onions and small button mushrooms. In this version I prepared it with shrimp, lobster mushrooms and leeks.

Shrimp and Lobster Mushrooms Newburg Style

Yield 2 portions

1 lb                Shrimp 16/20, peeled and de-veined

1 cup            Lobster mushrooms, sliced (or other mushrooms of choice)

½ cup           Leeks, white root only, split, washed and sliced

1 TBL              Shallots, minced

1 TBL             Grape seed Oil or vegetable oil

2 TBL            Butter

1 tsp             Paprika

1 TBL             Flour, all purpose

2 TBL            Brandy

¼ cup           Sherry, dry

1/8 cup        Shrimp stock, chicken stock or water

1 ½ cups       Heavy Cream

1 TBL              Parsley, chopped

1 tsp              Tarragon leaves, coarsely chopped

                      Salt, paprika and pepper to season shrimp

1.    Season shrimp with salt, pepper and paprika

2.    Sautee in grape seed oil over high heat until half cooked

3.    Remove the shrimp from the pan and reserve

4.    Reduce the heat to medium high heat and add the butter, mushrooms, leeks, shallots and paprika

5.    Sautee until the vegetables are tender

6.    Add the flour and continue to cook while stirring for 2 minutes (to make a roux)

7.    Add the brandy, and sherry and bring to a boil

8.    Add the stock or water reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes

9.    In a separate pot bring the cream to a boil , reduce the heat and cook the cream down by half

10. Add to the mushroom leek sauce and reduce to nappe consistency (should coat the back of a spoon)

11. Add back the shrimp along with the chopped parsley and tarragon to the pan

12. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and a splash of sherry if desired

13. Once the shrimp is re-heated (be careful not to overcook)

14. Serve over parsley noodles, rice or mashed potatoes.