Mushroom Ragout

"Ragout" (French) means "to revive the taste". It's fall, y'all! That means more layers - of clothes, of blankets, and more layers of tastes too - spices, ingredients and heartier fare.

So, I'll begin with Mushroom Ragout. This can be served as a main course with salad, bread and some red wine. Unsweetened chocolate finishes and thickens the sauce to a warm, velvety and rounded dish that pairs well with polenta (try Bob's Red Mill organic polenta. The most extensive selection (other than online) can be found at Fairway Market, where an aisle is devoted to Bob's Red Mill! Locally, in Long Beach, this brand of polenta is available at a reasonable price at Wild By Nature in Oceanside on Long Beach Road.

Stop at Dan Madura's at the Long Beach Farmer's Market Wednesdays (and sometimes, he's there on Saturdays!) for unusual and delicious mushrooms. This recipe calls for a pound of mixed wild mushrooms, which can get pretty pricey - so, since we're not all made of money, use some conventional mushrooms, say half, and then go to town with some of Dan's more exotic varietals. Try his organic garlic - it'll reshape and deepen your love for garlic. Please: freshly grind your nutmeg. And for other spices, invest in an inexpensive coffee grinder and use it just for spices. Grind your own cardamom and white pepper together in it. It'll clear your sinuses and you'll be amazed at how aromatic this dish becomes from a whir of your little grinder. Try buying spices at Patel Brothers - there are several. This link is for the one in Flushing. There is one on Hillside Avenue near the Cross Island Parkway too - it's very bright, clean and tons of fun to shop there. The low cost of spices alone is worth it - and you can buy frozen samosas, fresh pistachios for a ridiculously low cost, almonds, raisins, tandoori mixes, and last time I was there, I bought an idli steamer! (Then can buy all the chutneys your pantry can hold - from tamarind to mint to coconut - and don't forget roti (breads) for dipping too!) In New York, go down to Lexington Ave. and 28th Street. You can market for your provisions there. Check out Kalustyans while you're down there (123 Lexington Ave.). Plan on spending a couple of hours there. 

Here's some dirt on the fungi - keep them in your fridge in brown paper bags - never in plastic bags. In plastic bags, they'll get slimy and disgusting. In paper bags (buy lunch bags!), they'll keep for close to a week.

Wild Mushroom Ragout

Adapted from Alice Medrich’s bitter sweet

Ingredients:

1 lb. mixed wild (and cultivated) mushroom, such as shitake, cremini, hens of the wood, portobellos, chanterelles, cêpes

About 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

2/3 c. dry red wine such as Cabernet, Côtes du Rhone or Malbec

Scant 1/8 tsp. nutmeg (freshly ground), ground cardamom and white pepper

A pinch or two of ground cloves (if you like cloves - I omit them, because I only like cloves in Indian food and very little else)

¼ tsp. kosher salt

¼ c. water

1 Tbsp. grated unsweetened chocolate* (Scharffen Berger is a good choice)

Procedure:

Keeping mushrooms separate, rub or quickly rinse, dry and then slice to about ¼ inch thick. Discard tough stems.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add a tsp. of olive oil.

Add one type of mushroom and sauté, stirring frequently until browned. Scrape them into a bowl and set aside. Repeat this with each mushroom, scraping them into the same bowl. If needed, add a tsp. of olive oil to the pan before you sauté them.

Remove pan from heat and let cool slightly. Return to the burner and over medium-low heat, add 1 Tbsp. olive oil and sauté the minced garlic until translucent, but not brown.

Return mushrooms and any accumulated liquids from them to the pan, add the wine, spices and salt and simmer for a few minutes to evaporate the alcohol in the wine.

Add ¼ c. water, cover and simmer for 6-10 minutes to cook the mushrooms and release their juices into the sauce. Uncover and cook until the sauce is reduced and slightly syrupy. Stir in the chocolate until it melts, smoothing the sauce.

Taste and if necessary, correct seasonings.

Serve over fried or soft polenta or serve over egg noodles.

Yield: Serves 4 as a small main course or 4-6 as an appetizer

*You may substitute 2 ½ tsp. unsweetened, good quality cocoa powder for the unsweetened chocolate