wild mushroom ragu

Enjoy this hearty, autumnal pappardelle pasta with fresh rosemary and portobello mushrooms in warm bowls, with a glass of red wine on the side :)

Pappardelle Pasta with Rosemary Portobello Mushroom Sauce

olive oil

shallots (halved lengthwise and thinly sliced)

Kosher salt

portobello mushroom

pappardelle pasta

garlic (finely sliced)

rosemary leaves

red chili flakes

tomato paste

balsamic vinegar

unsalted butter

Parmigiano Reggiano or Parmesan cheese

Put the oil, shallots and a pinch of salt in a large skillet and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the shallots are softened, but not browned.

Add the mushrooms to the pan. Cook the mushrooms for a few minutes until they take on some color, then stir and add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Continue cooking until the mushrooms become tender and their liquid evaporates.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons kosher salt. Cook the pasta until al dente. Scoop out and reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta.

Add the garlic, rosemary, chili, tomato paste, vinegar and butter to the mushrooms. Add 1/3 cup of the pasta water and stir over medium heat until the mixture becomes saucy. Add the pasta to the pan and toss gently with tongs to coat with the sauce, adding more water if it seems too dry. Taste for seasoning.

Shave curls of Parmigiano cheese over the pasta with a vegetable peeler and serve. 

Daikon radishes blanched and fried crisp, served with a rich mushroom sauce.

Daikon Radish Steaks with Mushroom Ragu

All purpose flour or equivalent (as needed for dredging, optional)

Flavorless cooking oil

daikon radish

wild mushroom ragu (see recipe)

Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper (to taste)

Wilted greens (for serving)

lemon juice (to taste)

herbs (for finishing, especially dill, chives, chervil

Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil, then add the daikon, and simmer for a minute or two, or until they’re tender and taste good to you. Remove the daikon, drain and pat dry.

Toss the daikon with the flour, tap off any excess, then brown well in the oil or lard. Remove the daikon, drain out any scorched oil, then add the mushroom ragu and heat through. keep the radishes warm in a preheated oven.

Daikon Radishes

Stir the butter into the mushroom ragu, adding a little liquid if the pan threatens to dry out. Swirl the pan and stir on medium heat, until the butter is melted and the sauce starts to thicken.

Off the heat, add a dash of lemon juice, then double check and correct the seasoning for salt and pepper. Mound some wilted greens on the middle of each plate, lay three slices of daikon on each, then ladle the mushroom sauce over the top, sprinkle with the fresh herbs and serve.

For a family style dish, arrange the daikon slices on top of some wilted or fresh greens on a platter and pass the sauce separately.

Finishing and serving

A simple ragu of dried wild mushrooms and fresh mushrooms that can be incorporated into many different recipes. Yield: about 3 cups.

Dried Wild Mushroom Ragu

oz fresh shiitake mushrooms, or substitute wild mushrooms (thickly sliced)

garlic (thinly sliced)

dry white wine

cooking oil (like olive)

sea salt (plus more to taste)

stock

¼ cup thinly sliced shallot or red onion

thyme

one-inch thick strips of lemon zest (peeled with a vegetable peeler)

Rehydrate the mushrooms in 1 cup of stock or water, then agitate to remove grit, remove the mushrooms and coarsely chop, then strain the stock and reserve.

Sweat the shallot and garlic in the oil for 2-3 minutes, then add the fresh mushrooms, herbs, salt and pepper and cook until the mushrooms are wilted. Add the rehydrated, dried mushrooms.

Add the wine, cook until reduced by half, then add the mushroom liquid, lemon zest and reserved stock and cook for 15 minutes, or until the mushrooms are completely cooked.

Discard the lemon zest, cool and store in the fridge.

To reheat the ragu and serve by itself, I like to whisk in a little unsalted butter or heavy cream to thicken it slightly and add body, but, it can be nice all by itself, like if you’re serving it alongside a bowl of freshly cooked polenta. To refresh the flavor, hit it with a dash of fresh lemon juice before serving.

The ragu will last for 5 days in the fridge and can also be frozen for long term storage.

Serving

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Top 3 wild mushroom ragu recipes from across the web

The most viewed wild mushroom ragu recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

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Pappardelle Pasta with Rosemary Por...

Daikon Radish Steaks with Mushroom ...

Dried Wild Mushroom Ragu

The most viewed wild mushroom ragu recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine