Vegetarian Mushroom Bourguignon

It is often said that mushrooms are meat to vegetarians, and after eating this mushroom bourguignon, I think you just might be convinced that vegetarians do just fine. Tender chunks of plump portobellos and chewy dried lobster mushrooms are simmered into a thick sauce highlighted by some robust red wine and served over a bed of steaming egg noddles. This filling dinner is sure to satisfy even the most ravenous mushroom fiends and your carnivorous friends won't miss a thing either.

This was actually my first experience with lobster mushrooms, and it certainly won't be my last. I found myself nibbling on the soaked mushrooms before they even made it into the dish. Not properly a mushroom, these pretty reddish orange fungi are actually a parasitic mushroom that take over certain varieties of mushrooms. If you don't have or can't find dried lobster mushrooms, feel free to substitute your favorite dried mushroom.

Vegetarian Mushroom Bourguignon

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on February 5, 2009 A rich, sumptuous and robust mushroom dish for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike — great for serving on special occasions Preparation: 25 minutes Cooking time: 45 minutes Print this recipe Ingredients: 1/2 oz (14 g) dried lobster mushrooms (or other varieties) 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons butter 2 lbs (900 g) portobello mushrooms, cut into 1/4-inch slices 1 small carrot, diced 1 small onion, diced 1 shallot, finely diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon sea salt fresh cracked black pepper 1 cup full-bodied red wine 2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste 1 2/3 cups vegetable stock or reserved mushroom soaking liquid 2 tablespoons unbleached white flour large handful of fresh parsley for garnish Instructions: Cover the dried mushrooms with hot water and leave to sit for roughly 20 minutes. Drain, reserve the soaking liquid, squeeze any excess liquid from the mushrooms and roughly chop. Set aside. Heat 1 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large pot over high heat. When hot, throw in the portobello mushrooms and cook until they begin to brown, and just before they begin to release their juices — roughly 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pot and reduce the heat to medium. Throw in the onions, carrots, shallots, thyme and salt and pepper and cook for roughly 10 minutes, or until the onions begin to brown. Stir occasionally. Now add the garlic and cook for another minute or so. Add the wine to the pot, scrap the bottom of the pan, increase the heat to high and cook, stirring, until the wine is reduced by about half. Stir in the tomato paste, add the portobello mushrooms, vegetable stock (or 1 2/3 cup of the reserved mushroom soaking liquid), bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to medium/low and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender. While the mushrooms are cooking, combine the flour with the remaining tablespoon of butter with a fork. When the mushrooms are tender, add the flour and butter mixture to the pot, along with the soaked dried mushrooms and cook for another few minutes, or until the desired thickness is achieved. Scoop over pasta or egg noodles and garnish with parsley or chives. Serve with a generous glass of red wine. Makes 4 servings

Other delightful mushroom dishes you will want to try:
Ricotta Dumplings Smothered in Mushroom Sauce
Best-Ever Mushroom Sauce
Portobello Mushrooms Stuffed with Quinoa
Penne with Indian-Style Tomato Sauce and Mushrooms