Creamy Mushroom Sauce
MAKES: 4 CUPS*
PRESSURE LEVEL: HIGH
RELEASE: QUICK
TOTAL TIME: ABOUT 1 HOUR
TIME UNDER PRESSURE: 25 MINUTES
*ENOUGH FOR 1 POUND OF PASTA
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS When making a creamy mushroom-based pasta sauce, you typically start by sautéing mushrooms to draw out their liquid and concentrate their flavor. In the pressure cooker this happens without any work. After sautéing onion, garlic, and thyme, along with a little flour to thicken the sauce, we whisked in broth and sherry, a classic mushroom complement. We turned to a trio of flavorful mushrooms for our starring ingredient. Less than 30 minutes under pressure was all it took to draw out their liquid and to concentrate their flavor. The mushrooms’ liquid, which couldn’t evaporate from the pot, became a flavorful component in our sauce. To avoid curdled cream, we stirred it in toward the end. Parmesan cheese helped thicken our sauce and, along with parsley, added a final layer of flavor. See the step shot and Troubleshooting that follows the recipe.
INGREDIENTS
|
¼ |
cup olive oil |
|
1 |
onion, minced |
|
|
Salt and pepper |
|
1 |
tablespoon all-purpose flour |
|
3 |
garlic cloves, minced |
|
1 |
tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1½ teaspoons dried |
|
1¼ |
cups low-sodium chicken broth |
|
¼ |
cup dry sherry |
|
10 |
ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced thin |
|
10 |
ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced thin |
|
10 |
ounces portobello mushroom caps, gills removed, caps halved and sliced thin |
|
½ |
cup heavy cream |
|
1 |
ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup) |
|
2 |
tablespoons minced fresh parsley |
1. BUILD FLAVOR: Heat oil in pressure-cooker pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and ½ teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour, garlic, and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk in broth and sherry, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in mushrooms.
2. HIGH PRESSURE FOR 25 MINUTES: Lock pressure-cooker lid in place and bring to high pressure over medium-high heat. As soon as pot reaches high pressure, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 25 minutes, adjusting heat as needed to maintain high pressure.
3. QUICK RELEASE PRESSURE: Remove pot from heat. Quick release pressure, then carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you.
4. BEFORE SERVING: Stir in cream and simmer sauce over medium-high heat until thickened, about 5 minutes. Off heat, stir in Parmesan and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.