Mushroom Ragout ‘Gravy’

I never make gravy. Some people find that perplexing, but I don’t like it — there’s just too much fat involved. Instead, I make this mushroom ragout and spoon it over the turkey and on the side.

Ingredients

• 1 ounce (about 1 cup) dried porcini mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion or 2 shallots, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 1 pound wild mushrooms or oyster mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and sliced thick or torn into pieces
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
• ½ cup fruity red wine, such as a Côtes du Rhone
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon crumbled dried
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage or fresh thyme leaves
• 1 cup chicken stock or vegetable stock
• Freshly ground pepper

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

    141 calories; 5 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 16 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 5 grams protein; 1 milligram cholesterol; 75 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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Serves six to eight as one of several side dishes, more as a gravy

Preparation

1. Place the dried mushrooms in a Pyrex measuring cup, and pour on 2 cups boiling water. Let soak 30 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients. Place a strainer over a bowl, line it with cheesecloth or paper towels, and drain the mushrooms. Squeeze the mushrooms over the strainer to extract all the flavorful juices, and set aside the liquid in the bowl. Then rinse the mushrooms, away from the bowl with the soaking liquid, until they are free of sand. Squeeze dry and set aside. If very large, chop coarsely.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy nonstick skillet or saucepan over medium heat, and add the onion or shallots. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add half the garlic, stir together for about 30 seconds, and then add the fresh mushrooms and salt to taste. Cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms begin to soften and to sweat, about 5 minutes. Add the flour and continue to cook the mushrooms, stirring, until they have softened a little more and you can no longer see the flour, about 2 minutes. Add the reconstituted dried mushrooms and the wine, and turn the heat to high. Cook, stirring, until the liquid boils down and glazes the mushrooms, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the rosemary and sage or thyme, stir together, and stir in the mushroom soaking liquid and the stock. Bring to a simmer, add salt to taste, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the mushrooms are thoroughly tender and fragrant and the surrounding broth is thick and gravy-like, about 20 minutes. If you want a thicker “gravy,” remove a cup and blend until smooth in a blender or a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Stir back into the ragout. Remove from the heat, stir in some freshly ground pepper, taste and adjust salt. Set aside, preferably in the refrigerator, overnight.

• Advance preparation: The ragoût can be made up to three or four days before you wish to serve it. Reheat gently on top of the stove. Martha Rose Shulman can be reached at martha-rose-shulman.com.

1 hour 30 minutes