Mushroom Bourguignon & Mashed Cauliflower

Last year, my husband and daughter flew to Las Vegas for a family wedding (unfortunately, with work I wasn't able to attend).  Our daughter had previous eaten at the Wynn Restaurant Tableau on a trip there and couldn't wait to introduce her Dad to the vegetarian menu offered.  After going on line and seeing the selection, I decided I could come up with a dish that could easily be offered there, but also, give "meat-eaters" an alternative without giving up the taste!

Bourguignon has been a favorite in my family and yes, I've made the recipe from Julia Child cookbook on several occasion.  However, a couple of decades ago, when everyone in my family started eating vegetarian, I had to come up with an alternative.  Portabello mushrooms was the obvious choice because they will hold up to the slow cooking of this dish and some people have said, "they have a beef-like taste."

To accompany this dish, I usually do mashed potatoes, however, keeping with a healthy alternative, I did mashed cauliflower, something I made when Kelly was diagnosed with breast cancer and told to limit her carbs.  Mashed cauliflower is such an excellent substitute that my hubby thought they were mashed potatoes!  Finally, I baked rolls and added haricot verts to balance the entree, but the Bourguignon was definitely the star.

Mushroom Bourguignon (Serves 4, but can be easily doubled)
4 large Portabello Mushrooms, cleaned and cut into chunks
2 large onions, chopped
1 bunch of carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4" pieces
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 bay leaf
1 lb. white button mushrooms, cleaned and slice
1 1/2 cups Burgundy
2 cups water
1 cube"Not beef"bouillon (or you can use vegetable stock)
1 T tomato paste
6 T Olive Oil
1-2 T unsalted butter
1 cup chopped parsley

Preheat the oven to 375F-degrees. Prepare the vegetables--the Portabello need to have the "gills" scraped out; I use a teaspoon.  Clean all the mushrooms by using a damp paper towel to rub off any dirt.  Don't soak or run under water because mushroom will absorb the water.

Saute the onions and garlic in two tablespoons of Olive Oil until the onions are translucent.  Add the carrots and cooks about 7-10 minutes longer. Add the bay leaf and seasonings.

Transfer this mixture to a Dutch Oven.  Without cleaning the pan, heat again and add about 3 tablespoons of olive oil and saute the Portabello mushrooms (in batches so you don't over crowd).

Once the mushrooms are lightly browned, transfer them to the Dutch Oven too.  Add the water to the sauce pan with the bouillon cube and tomato paste and heat until the cube has dissolved.  Add this liquid and the 1 1/2 cups of burgundy to the Dutch Oven, covered and place in the oven to cook for 45-50 minutes.

About 15 minutes before the time has elapsed, saute the white button mushrooms in 2 T of olive oil and 1 or 2 T unsalted butter.  Cook until all the liquid the mushrooms release is absorbed.

Add these mushrooms and parsley to the Dutch oven and lower the temperature to 350F-degrees with the cover removed. Mix 3 T cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup of water, add to the mixture and stir to incorporate the "thickening" agent.

Mashed Cauliflower
2 heads of cauliflower, cleaned and cut into florets

Steam the cauliflower using a steam rack or pan double boiler pan with a sieve in about 1-inch of water, about 10 minutes or until tender.  Save the liquid.

To mash the cauliflower--I used my Vita-Mix, but you can also use a food processor.

Add the florets to the machine, along with 3 T of reserved liquid and 1-2 cloves of garlic sauteed in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Process until mashed.  I did add 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, salt and pepper to taste and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese.

This vegetarian version has all the flavor the original does and I would bet even Julia Child would love it.  If you don't like Portabello mushrooms (something I can't fathom) you could substitute a produce by Gardein called "beef tips). Enjoy!

 
 

Hearty Mushroom Barley Soup

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!  It's rainy and windy outside; the leaves are falling and I've decided to take the chill off by making a pot of soup.  My mother taught me this trick by making pots of her vegetable soup, bean soup, or maybe a chicken noodle when the weather turned and it worked every time.

My choice for this chilly Fall evening is a Mushroom Barley Soup.  Mushrooms are a good source of dietary fiber, protein, vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, biotin, cobalamins) and ascorbic acid.  In case you're interested, China is the world's largest edible mushroom producer and consumer of this fascinating fungus.  Along with the barley, which is also a good source of dietary fiber, you have a satisfying, healthy soup to ward off flu bugs and as my Irish father would say, "warm the cockles of your heart."

Making soup is one of those things that the whole family can get involved with and it's an inexpensive way to provide a hearty, healthy meal.  I'd love to hear about a favorite soup you make; a family recipe or twist on old standard.  Cold nights = Bowl of Soup!

Hearty Mushroom Barley Soup

1/4 cup  (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 lb. while button mushrooms, cleaned and cut into 1/2"-1" pieces
1/2 lb Crimini mushrooms (or your favorite) cleaned and cut into 1/2"-1" pieces
2 carrots, peeled and chopped into small pieces
2 stalks of celery, chopped into small pieces
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1/2 cup Pearl Barley, rinsed
2 T all-purpose flour
8 cups Vegetable broth
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1 T fresh dill or 1 tsp. dried dill

In a large Dutch oven or sauce pan, melt butter.  Add the onions, carrots and celery and saute for 5-7 minutes.  Add all the mushrooms and barley and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until the mushrooms have released all their liquid and the vegetables start to brown.  About 20 minutes.

Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir to combine.  Gradually add the broth and bring the soup to a boil, stirring frequently.

Reduce heat and cover the sauce pan.  Simmer until the barley is tender, about 40 minutes.  Before serving, add the parsley and the dill and stir.  Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.  I combined this soup with a "melt-in-your-mouth Parkerhouse roll and a salad.  The soup warmed me up and even with the rain falling and the wind howling, I closed my eyes and was in my mother's kitchen again--Enjoy!