The Older Bolder Life Friday Feast: Creamy Mushroom Sauté

A couple of weekends ago, a new friend who happens to be the executive chef of an up and coming restaurant group here in the DFW metro chatted me up about the simplicity of what is in reality a culinary masterpiece – fresh mushrooms sautéed until they’re crispy over fairly high heat in a carbon steel (or cast iron pan).

That conversation set me off hunting down some of the bounty of fresh mushrooms coming in this time of year, and fiddling around with several different approaches to the mushroom game.

My wife’s favorite has been simply mushrooms sautéed in avocado oil over high heat until they’ve developed a brown, crispy edge, then finished with a simple garlic-herb butter (use your imagination – and what’s on hand in terms of fresh herbs – to quickly pull one together to suit you).

One the other hand, my absolute favorite has been this Creamy Mushroom Sauté that Chef Libby in Austin sent me; she noted it was probably crafted initially to be served over pasta, and you can certainly venture down that pathway with your favorite gluten free or alternative grain pasta, though I think this one is damned tasty over cauliflower rice (I used this one for the images).

The lemon is essential, as is deglazing the pan with white wine or cognac, and using a good Parmesan really adds too.

See what fresh mushrooms you can dig up at your favorite higher end grocer and give this one a spin.

1 pound (or a little more) mixed fresh mushrooms, torn or cut into bite-size pieces
5 tbsp avocado oil or EVOO, divided
1 tbsp good salt (approximate)

2 shallots, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup white wine (or cognac)
1 cup heavy cream
Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tbsp grass fed butter, cut into pieces
3/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more at service
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley

Heat 2 tbsp of your oil of choice in a skillet over medium-high heat; cook half the mushrooms in a single layer until the edges begin to crisp and brown – don’t move them for 3 minutes or so, then toss gently and brown all sides. Remove to a plate and repeat with the remaining mushrooms and 2 tbsp of oil, salting them lightly when removed from the pan.

Reduce the heat to medium, add the final tbsp of oil to the pan, then sauté the shallots until they begin to soften. Add the minced garlic and cook another two minutes.

Deglaze the pan with the white wine or cognac, simmer to reduce by at least half. Add the cream, bring to a low boil, and simmer for a few minutes until it thickens slightly.

Now remove from the heat and immediately add the lemon juice and zest, butter, Parmesan, and plenty of pepper (to taste). Finally stir in the parsley and the crisped mushrooms and adjust for salt and pepper.

Enjoy.