Mike and I were talking about polenta the other day. I have this weird issue with polenta (also egg salad and deviled eggs truth be told). If I don’t make it myself I have a hard time eating it. It makes no sense, but the soft and sometimes creamy texture weirds me out. Unless I cook it myself I can’t choke it down. I found this great, gluten-free and dairy-free pre-made polenta at Cost Plus World Market last month and thought to myself that it would be great to have on hand instead of always having pasta with sauces, etc. I bought it, heated it up, and served it, but it didn’t really sit well with me mentally (although Mike enjoyed it). There is nothing wrong with the product at all. In fact if you don’t have this issue, and it is unlikely you do, then I recommend it. It is a decent product that is quick and easy from package to plate.
While Mike and I were discussing polenta we began to discuss ways to serve it. I tossed out that it would be good with some type of mushroom “ragu.”
The other day I was walking through the local Market (Zupan’s) wondering what to make for dinner. I happened to notice a display of dried mushrooms that proudly declared they were an Oregon product. The mushrooms triggered my memory of the idea of a mushroom “ragu” and since I am always up for supporting local businesses, and local food especially, I decided to give it a try.
Ragu is traditionally a meat sauce (hence the quotes around it when I speak in terms of it being mushroom-based). If you decide to try making it yourself keep in mind that the real keys to this sauce are the following:
• The broth from the reconstituted dried mushrooms are essential to this sauce tasting earthy and wonderful. Don’t skip this part.
• Brown the fresh mushrooms at the start of the recipe. Resist stirring them too much which will inhibit the browning process. Have patience and let them sit undisturbed until you get a good brown started, then stir and repeat until they are fully browned. This is really essential for not only producing non-rubbery mushrooms, but also for a complexity of flavor in the sauce.
• The right amount of fresh rosemary. You could use dried in a pinch, but the fresh just works a little different in the sauce – in a really good way. Rosemary can really take over a dish so be careful you don’t add too much (unless of course you are mad for it, then toss as much as you want in).
The dried mushrooms I chose to use were: Oregon Porcini dried mushrooms (.5 0z pack); and Chanterelle dried mushrooms (.5 0z pack). You could experiment here, but these are unique and earthy. I followed the directions on the package to reconstitute them in simmering water and then used only the broth in the recipe. You can rinse the reconstituted mushrooms well, then chop them up and add them to the sauce, but I find the texture of reconstituted mushrooms to be strange and unpleasant. The flavor has really been leeched out of them too so I don’t see any benefit other than alleviating some guilt at throwing food away. If you can’t handle the guilt by all means throw them in. I personally toss them out. Some words of caution if you use them: rinse them well before putting them in your sauce. Nothing ruins a meal more than gritty or sandy food, which will indeed happen if you don’t take the time to rinse them thoroughly.
To give a plug for the ones I used (they were wonderful), the brand is “MycoLogical” and I purchased their Wild Gourmet Mushrooms (again, I used the Oregon porcinis, and the chanterelles). It is a company based out of Eugene, Oregon.
Here is a link to their website: http://www.mycological.com/
And, finally, the recipe!
*** Mushroom “Ragu” ***
Olive oil
½ pound of chopped fresh mushrooms (buttons are fine) – medium dice
1 large fresh Portobello mushroom cap chopped to roughly the same size as the buttons
1 cup of finely minced celery (about 3 ribs)
1 cup of finely minced peeled carrots
1 medium sized shallot finely minced
1 ½ tblsps of finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 tblsp of tomato paste
2 cups of mushroom broth from reconstituting 1oz of dried mushrooms
1 box of Pomi crushed tomatoes (approx 26 oz crushed tomatoes)
salt and pepper to taste
Heat olive oil in a large heavy bottomed pot (or Dutch oven). Add all of the fresh mushrooms and let sit until they are brown (resist stirring them until they have begun to brown!). Stir them and then let them continue to brown fully.
Once the mushrooms have browned add the celery, carrots, and shallots. Stir continuously over medium heat until they begin to wilt and soften. Add the rosemary and continue to stir until the rosemary begins to give up its flavor. Add the tomato paste and continue stirring being extra careful not to burn it; once the rawness has been removed from the paste add the mushroom broth to it. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until the mixture seems to have thickened and all of the ingredients have melded together. Add the crushed tomatoes and reduce the heat to a low simmer. Add salt and pepper to taste.
If possible simmer the sauce on very low, stirring occasionally, for 20-30 minutes. The sauce gets better after allowing time for all of the flavors to meld. If you have leftovers the flavor is even better the next day.
This can be served over polenta or pasta (we really like the Quinoa pastas, which are gluten-free of course!).
