Any Noodle Will Do

My mother used to love going for a walk after rainfall.  "Let's go!" she would call.  "Mother nature has washed the streets!"  I accompanied her on these neighborhood strolls jogging to keep up with her pace.  She would stop to comment on early buds or bend down to examine white mushroom caps that lit our path.  My husband would lament, "I wish I knew if we could eat those."  What better way to celebrate our recent rainfall than to shop for mushrooms at the farmers market and translate the longing for those walks by melting butter in my skillet and sautéing them with garlic and shallots.


Recipe for Mushroom Stroganoff with Fresh Pappardelle

1/2 lb each of your favorite wild mushrooms such as oyster, baby shiitake, chanterelles, wood ear to total 2 pounds

3 shallots finely diced

2 cloves of garlic finely diced

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup red wine

3 cups beef or vegetable broth

1 cup creme fraiche

salt & pepper

Wash mushrooms thoroughly and lay flat to dry on a dish towel.

In a large skillet, heat 3 tbsp of olive oil and 2 tbsp of butter.  Sauté mushrooms in batches (without crowding your skillet) beginning with firmest - shiitake - and slowly adding remaining mushrooms with the shallots and garlic.

Stir frequently to avoid sticking for 10-15 minutes.  When mushrooms have softened and are glistening, it is time to deglaze your pan by adding the red wine, all the while scraping the bottom of your skillet with your wooden spoon.  Allow the red wine to simmer 2-3 minutes before adding the broth. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer 10-15 minutes.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Just before serving, stir in the creme fraiche and simmer 3-4 minutes.  Toss with fresh cooked pappardelle or your favorite fresh pasta.

Oyster Mushrooms added to Sautéing Baby Shiitakes

Close up of the Oyster & Shiitake Mushrooms

Wood Ears added to the Oysters & Shiitakes

Adding the wine to deglaze the pan

Adding the broth