This mushroom gravy is rich and very flavorful, partially because of the dried porcini mushrooms and their soaking liquid. It pairs perfectly with mashed potatoes, but it’s also great with our Barley, Quinoa, and Cannelini Bean Loaf (page 148) and our Whole-Wheat Biscuits (page 141). Notice that the porcini mushrooms need to soak for 30 minutes, so remember to start those early.
Makes about 4 cups/960 ml
1/2 oz/15 g dried porcini mushrooms
11/2 cups/360 ml boiling water
1/4 cup plus 3 tbsp/105 ml olive oil
1 small yellow onion, small dice
1/2 tsp dried thyme
8 oz/225 g cremini or white button mushrooms, rinsed, stemmed, cut in half and thinly sliced
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup/30 g unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups/480 ml Easy Vegetable Stock (page 76) or low-sodium vegetable broth, heated
In a small bowl, combine the porcini with the boiling water and cover with a plate. Let sit for 30 minutes, or until soft. Drain the mushrooms and reserve the liquid. Chop the mushrooms into small dice. Strain the soaking liquid through a coffee filter and set aside.
In a large skillet, heat 3 tbsp of the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until it softens, about 4 minutes. Add the thyme and cook for another minute. Add the fresh mushrooms and chopped porcini, 1/4 tsp salt, and a pinch of pepper. Cover the skillet and cook until the mushrooms are soft, stirring frequently. Remove the skillet from the heat and keep covered.
Heat the remaining 1/4 cup/60 ml of the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, whisking constantly, for 3 minutes. Slowly whisk in the hot stock and the reserved mushroom soaking liquid. Maintain a low simmer and cook the gravy, whisking frequently, until it begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Add 3/4 tsp salt and the mushroom mixture. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring often. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.
2/3 CUP/165 ML GRAVY: CALORIES: 190 | FAT: 16G | CARBS: 10G | PROTEIN: 3G | SODIUM: 400MG