The Carnivorous Food Breeze: Great Mushrooms? Burgundy Mushrooms!!

Want an easy way to cook restaurant quality mushrooms?  We ALL do!  What goes better with a perfectly grilled steak, than a buttered baked potato topped with spectacular mushrooms?

Buttered Baker with Burgundy Buttons

This dish couldn’t be simpler, but it does take awhile.  In fact, it takes the better part of your whole day!  It’s totally worth it though, because it’s an amazing compliment to that expensive steak you’re thinking about grilling for your guests!  Let’s do this:

You Will Need:

• 4 lbs (yes, 4 pounds) of your favorite mushrooms, whole.  I like “Baby Bellas”
• 2 Cups Chicken Stock (regular, NOT “low sodium”)
• 1 Liter of Burgundy (just get the big jug and measure 4 Cups, drink the rest, call it “Even”)
• 2 Sticks Salted Butter
• 1/2 Cup Shallots
• 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 Tsp Black Pepper
• Salt, to taste (reserve this for the end)

This dish takes a minimum of 8 hours so… start accordingly!

Also, did you notice that I was more specific than usual when it came to the salt?  That’s because most recipes you’ll find on the internet for “Burgundy Mushrooms” call for 3-6 Bouillon Cubes!  Given all the liquid in this dish, I wouldn’t have a problem with that, ordinarily.  But this dish will sit and simmer and the liquid will boil out and the flavors will get super-concentrated and if you add all of that salt early, you’ll end up with “Mushrooms in a salt lick” and NOBODY wants that, so… pay attention, and do this right!

Also, and I can’t stress this enough… WASH YOUR MUSHROOMS!  Put all 4lbs of them into the sink and cover them with cold water.  Slosh and slide them around for awhile.  You’ll be amazed at the ridiculous amount of mud and dirt that will come off of them.  Mud and dirt does not go will with wine or butter…

Start with the shallots, dice them fine.  Dump them into a large stock pot with the butter, garlic, and the Worcestershire.  Melt this together over medium heat, then drop the heat to low and stir until the shallots are clear and fragrant.  Add the pepper.  Stir some more.  

Have a look at that wine bottle… Measure out 4 cups, then have a swig of the extra that’s left over.  Not bad?  Burgundy has a bit more sweetness than a Pinot or a Cab Sav, worry not!  This works with mushrooms!

Now, jack the heat up to HIGH and pour in the Chicken Stock, and the Wine.  Stir it all together and bring it up to a roiling boil, before dropping the heat back down to a simmer.

While it’s gently simmering, slowly add the shrooms.

Bring the heat back up (I know… up, down, up, down… deal with it)!  Stir the mushrooms until the whole mix boils!  Now drop the heat to a gentle simmer one more time and put the lid on!  WATCH IT!  It should bubble, but not boil over.  Do NOT taste it yet.

Now for the hard part… Walk away!  Yep, just leave them there, simmering, with the lid on, and find something else to do.

Come back every 90 minutes or so, to give them a stir.  You’ll notice that the mushrooms are getting smaller, and the liquid is getting thicker.  Perfect.  Do NOT taste it yet!

Eventually you’ll get to where you only have an inch (or less) of liquid in the pot.  NOW you can taste it!  Does it need salt?  It might… season it to your liking.

That’s it!  You’ve done it… You’ve created an amazing side-dish of mushrooms that has every bit of that “extra something” that your guests can’t figure out.  I grilled “Surf and Turf” the other night and these mushrooms were AMAZING on the potatoes.  I hope you like them!