Mushroom Stew

Serves 6

Thanks to their meaty texture, mushrooms are often employed as a stand-in for beef, as in mushroom “burgers” and “steaks.” This gave me the idea to make a mushroom stew that hits all the same flavor buttons as one made with beef. I originally conceived this recipe with portobello mushrooms in mind, but it turns out that plain ol’ white mushrooms stand up better to the high heat and relatively long cooking process. The two keys to this recipe are browning the mushrooms until nicely charred (they’ll leave flavorful bits in the pot just as beef does when seared), and letting the soup stand for half an hour before serving it. Without that infusing time, the mushroom flavor won’t truly permeate the entire concoction.

I recommend serving this with Herbed Croutons half immersed in the stew, leaning against the side of the bowl.

 

¹/₄ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1¹/₂ pounds white mushrooms, stems removed

Coarse salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3 stalks celery, cut crosswise into ¹/₂-inch pieces

3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 large Spanish onion, peeled and cut into 8 wedges

1 cup dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed and crumbled

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1¹/₂ cups red wine

2 quarts store-bought, reduced-sodium vegetable broth or homemade Vegetable Stock

5 canned Italian plum tomatoes, drained of excess juice then crushed by hand

5 sprigs thyme

2 bay leaves

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

 

1. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter over high heat. Add the white mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook until well browned, or even slightly charred, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl using tongs or a slotted spoon and set aside.

2. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter to the pot and melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the celery, carrots, onion, and porcini, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until softened and lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir for 2 to 3 minutes, to coat them well. It’s okay if the flour browns a bit.

3. Add the red wine and bring to a boil, stirring to scrape up any bits of mushroom or flour stuck to the bottom of the pot. Cook until the wine has almost completely evaporated, about 4 minutes.

4. Add the broth, tomatoes, thyme, and bay leaves and stir. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Bring the liquid to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the vegetables are softened but still hold their shape, about 35 minutes.

5. Return the mushrooms to the pot along with any liquid they have given off while resting. Bring to a boil over high heat, and boil for 8 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the stew rest, uncovered, for 30 minutes. If not serving immediately, let cool, cover, and refrigerate for a few days or freeze for up to 1 month.

6. To serve, gently reheat the stew. Stir in the parsley, remove and discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs, and ladle some stew into each of 6 bowls.

VARIATIONS

To make this stew into an even more substantial main course, add precooked and cooled egg noodles or pastina. One-quarter pound pasta will be plenty when cooked.