WINE & FOOD AFFAIR RECIPES

Main Dish

Mycopia Mushroom Ragoût with Creamy Polenta

Amista Vineyards

3320 Dry Creek Road
Healdsburg, CA 95448
amistavineyards.com

Ken Rochioli has been creating custom recipes throughout the Bay Area since 1983, providing exceptional food and service to thousands of people at hundreds of events. He uses only fresh, locally sourced ingredients. This dish in no exception - it's exceptional! Mycopia Mushrooms is the premier grower of top-quality, sustainably cultivated forest mushrooms, grown right here in Sonoma County.

Ingredients:
  • 1 ounce dried mushrooms, preferably porcini
  • 2 cups boiling water
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 shallots, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 pound Mycopia Forest Nameko mushrooms, halved
  • 1 pound Mycopia Velvet Pioppini mushrooms, halved
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour (or arrowroot flour for gluten-free)
  • 1/2 cup Amista Vineyards Chardonnay
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • Polenta for serving
  • Unsalted butter as needed
  • Heavy cream as needed
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

Place the dried mushrooms in a glass measuring cup or a bowl and pour in the boiling water. Let soak for 30 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients. Place a fine-mesh strainer over another bowl, line the strainer with cheesecloth or paper towels, and drain the mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid. Squeeze the mushrooms over the strainer and rinse until they are free of sand. Coarsely chop the mushrooms. 

In a large, heavy fry pan or a wide saucepan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the shallots and cook, stirring often, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then add the fresh mushrooms, rosemary and thyme and increase the heat slightly. Cook until the mushrooms begin to sweat, then add a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, over medium-high heat as the mushrooms continue to soften and sweat, about 5 minutes. 

Add the flour and continue to cook, stirring, until the mushrooms have softened a little more and you can no longer see the flour, about 2 minutes. Add the reconstituted dried mushrooms, wine and oyster sauce and increase the heat to high. Cook, stirring, until the liquid boils down and glazes the mushrooms, about 5 minutes. Stir in the reserved mushroom soaking liquid, bring to a simmer, season to taste with salt and cook over medium-high heat for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, make the polenta according to the package instructions. Tip: Include some butter and at the very end, add some heavy cream.

Serve the mushroom ragoût over the polenta and garnish with the parsley.