Recipe By: Laura Lorenz
Ingredients
16 oz button mushrooms, cleaned and dried
16 oz Cremini mushrooms, cleaned and dried
6 oz Portabella mushrooms, cleaned and dried (6 oz=3 mushroom caps)
3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
1 stalk of celery, finely chopped
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 large shallot, chopped
2 cups pearl onions*
½ tbsp tomato paste
1 ½ cups beef broth (can substitute vegetable broth to make this dish vegetarian)
1 cup dry red wine*
1 (28 oz) can peeled tomatoes (San Marzano preferred), do not drain
1 bay leaf
A few sprigs of fresh thyme
A few sprigs of fresh rosemary
Parmesan rind (optional but recommended)
2 tbsp butter + 2 tbsp flour (roux)
Roughly 6 tbsp butter and 3 tbsp olive oil (for searing the mushrooms)
Fresh Italian parsley for garnish
Salt and pepper
Directions
Destem all the mushrooms. Cut the button mushrooms in quarters, the Cremini mushrooms in half, and the Portabella into large pieces (you want all the mushrooms roughly the same size, adjust accordingly). Then add 2 Tbsp of butter and 1 Tbsp of oil to a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Working in batches brown all the mushrooms (about 5 minutes per batch); be careful not to move the mushrooms around too much. You may need to add more oil and butter with each batch (mushrooms like to soak up anything). Every stove and pan are different so adjust the heat accordingly to not burn the mushrooms. Once the mushrooms are all browned, remove from the pan and brown the pearl onions (this should only take a few minutes). When the onions are browned remove from the pan and add 1 tbsp of oil along with the carrots, celery, and shallot. Cook the vegetables for 5-7 minutes or until soft. Then turn the heat down to low and add the garlic, cook for 1 minute, being careful not to burn. Next, add the tomato paste and cook for a minute. Then deglaze the pan with the wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to get any bits to release. Add the broth, can of tomatoes, herbs (rosemary, thyme, bay), and the rind. Stir well, bring to a quick simmer, and partially cover; cook for 30 minutes (stirring occasionally). A few minutes before the 30 minutes is up make the roux. To make roux, melt 2 tbsp butter and whisk in 2 tbsp of flour (I do this in a glass measuring cup so it’s easy to pour).
After 30 minutes, add the roux (mix well), and then add the mushrooms, and pearl onions; cook for 30 to 45 minutes, partially covered. Make sure to stir occasionally and start to break up the tomatoes with the back of a spoon. The mushroom bourguignon is finished once the mushrooms are soft and the sauce has slightly thickened. Pull out the bay leaf, any of the rind if there is any left, and the stems from the herbs. Salt and pepper to taste, garnish with fresh Italian parsley. Enjoy!
Serving
My two favorite ways to serve this dish:
1.) Over creamy parmesan polenta. Tip: stir in full-fat ricotta once the polenta is cooked.
2.) Over mashed potatoes swirled with caramelized onions and crumbled blue cheese.
Tips
*Make sure your mushrooms are completely dry. I clean mine with a damp paper towel to make sure they do not take on any extra water.
*Buy your pearl onions in the freezer section. So much easier since they are pre-peeled! Just make sure to thaw and dry off before browning.
*I used a red blend that was mostly Sangiovese, but Vin de City Red or Barbera would be lovely
*I saved all the mushroom stems and ends of my shallots, garlic, carrots, and celery and made a stock (no waste).