Best-Ever Mushroom Sauce

I've been making this best-ever mushroom sauce for years now and I'd never get sick of it even if I had to eat it everyday. It's an absolutely delicious dressing to put on mashed potatoes, lightly-steamed vegetables, or any grain, just as long as you can stop yourself from eating it right out of the pan, but my favorite way to eat it is as a topping for quinoa-oat croquettes.

Update: Several readers have asked me how to avoid the yogurt curdling. The simplest way is to use whole fat yogurt at room temperature! Cold yogurt will curdle in response to an abrupt increase in temperature, while fat-free or low-fat yogurts curdle much more easily than whole fat yogurts. If using a fat-free or low-fat yogurt, whisk in 1 teaspoon of cornstarch or flour before adding to the pan.

Best-Ever Mushroom Sauce

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on November 7, 2007 As advertised, this is the best ever mushroom sauce — creamy, tangy and loaded with plump cooked mushrooms, this is a great sauce for mashed potatoes, vegetables or grains Preparation: 10 minutes Cooking time: 50 minutes Print this recipe Ingredients: 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 medium onions, chopped 1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour (optional) 1 lb (450 g) white mushrooms (or with some creminis), sliced 1 cup plain whole fat yogurt or canned coconut milk at room temperature juice of 1 or 2 lemons, to taste (3 to 5 tablespoons) 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard (mustard powder) 1 teaspoon sea salt fresh ground black pepper to taste Notes: Use whole fat yogurt at room temperature to avoid curdling. Cold yogurt curdles in response to abrupt changes in temperature. If using fat-free or low-fat yogurt, stabilize the yogurt first by whisking in 1 teaspoon of cornstarch or flour. Instructions: Melt the butter in a large saucepan or wok over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 8 minutes or until they are soft and translucent. Add the flour, if using, and stir to coat the onions. Stir in the mushrooms, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and cook for 10 minutes or until the mushrooms are reduced but still slightly plump. Take the pan off the stove and remove the lid. Stir in the yogurt or coconut milk, then stir in the lemon juice, parsley, mustard and salt. Return the pan to the stove. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the sauce without boiling, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 30 minutes until thickened — or longer if you want a very thick sauce. Before serving, add fresh ground black pepper to taste and stir. Makes 3 cups