Mushroom Bourguignon

By Foodiewife

This simple recipe can be on the dinner table in 45 minutes. The Portobello Mushrooms are meaty enough in texture that you won't miss the fact that this is a mostly meatless recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 to 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 pound portobello mushrooms, sliced about 1/4 of an inch thick
• 3 slices bacon, finely sliced into largons* (optional if you want to stick with a true meatless recipe)
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1.5 to 2 cups beef stock (use vegetable broth if you are a vegetarian)
• 3/4 cup red wine
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt (or more, depending on the salt level in your broth)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Egg noodles for serving
• Sour cream and chopped parsley or chives for garnish

Preparation

Step 1

Heat half the oil and butter in a large, deep saucepan on medium high heat. Throw in the sliced mushrooms and stir till they are darkened, but do not give off any liquid (about 2 mins). Remove from the pan and set aside.

Cook the bacon, to render the fat. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Reserve about 1 Tbsp of the bacon fat. This will give the vegetables a boost of great flavor. Leave this step out, if you wish to stick with a totally meatless dish.

Lower the heat to medium and add the rest of the oil, if you are not using bacon fat. Saute the carrots and onions with thyme, salt and pepper, until the onions are golden. Add in the garlic and cook for another minute.

Add a 1/2 cup of beef stock to the pan, scraping any stuck bits off the bottom. Turn the heat up and let the mixture reduce for 2 mins. Mix in the tomato paste, the rest of the broth and the browned mushrooms (and the optional cooked bacon). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and let the whole thing simmer for 10 mins.

Add remaining butter to the pan and sprinkle flour over the top, quickly stirring in. Simmer for another 3 to 4 mins. Taste, and season further with salt & pepper if needed. To serve, get yourself a bowl of warm, buttery egg noodles, spoon the mushroom bourguignon over the top, and garnish with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of chives or parsley. Polenta could also be a delicious option to noodles.