Best Wild Mushroom Cartoccio Recipes

BRANZINO WITH POLENTA, WILD MUSHROOMS AND WATERCRESS

Steps:

• Preheat a large saute pan with the canola oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Place the branzino in the pan skin-side down and cook until the skin is crispy, about 10 minutes. Flip the fish with a spatula and cook the other side for 1 minute. Set aside.
• Add the milk to a small pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, add the polenta and cook, stirring slowly, for 10 minutes, then add the mascarpone and 1 tablespoon butter. Cover and remove from the heat.
• Heat a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the remaining tablespoon butter, then the shallots and garlic, and cook until translucent. Break mushrooms by hand and add to the pan, then cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the white wine and cook for 10 more minutes. Stir in the sherry vinegar and remove from the heat.
• Place the polenta on the bottom of 2 plates, spoon the mushrooms over the polenta and place the branzino fillets on top. Garnish with the watercress, then drizzle with the olive oil and squeeze the lemon over the top.

WILD RICE WITH MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large saucepot over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the rice and toast while stirring until it begins to smell nutty, about 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook on low until the water is absorbed, about 40 minutes.
• While the rice is cooking, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon butter along with the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the button mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms and thyme and cook, stirring often until they begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, season with salt and pepper and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute more.
• When the rice is cooked, fluff with a fork and gently fold in the mushrooms. Add to a serving bowl and sprinkle with the parsley before serving.

FRESH AND WILD MUSHROOM STEW

Steps:

• Clean mushrooms, keeping colors separate, and trim tough stems. (Save stems for stock.) Slice mushrooms about 1/8-inch thick.
• In a wide skillet, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat. Add onion, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until onion has softened and browned, about 10 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
• Add 1 more tablespoon oil and turn heat to high. Add brown mushrooms, season lightly and stir-fry until nicely colored, about 3 minutes. Lower heat to medium. Add thyme, sage, red pepper and tomato paste. Add tomatoes, stir well, and cook for 1 minute. Season again with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon flour, stir to incorporate and cook for 1 minute more. Stir in reserved onions.
• Add 1 cup mushroom broth and stir until thickened, about 1 minute. Gradually add 1 more cup broth and cook for 2 minutes. Sauce should have gravy-like consistency; thin with more broth if necessary. Adjust seasoning. (May be prepared to this point several hours ahead and reheated.)
• Just before serving, put butter and 1 tablespoon olive in wide skillet over medium high heat. When butter begins to brown, add chanterelles, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for about 2 minutes, until cooked through and beginning to brown. Add garlic and parsley, stir to coat and cook 1 minute more. Add chanterelles to brown mushroom mixture and transfer to a warm serving bowl. Accompany with polenta or pasta if you wish.

PORCINI MUSHROOMS WITH BEANS 'AL CARTOCCIO'

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. (160 degrees C.).
• Place the beans in a large saucepan with plenty of water and allow to simmer for 2 hours along with the peeled tomatoes, sage, rosemary, garlic, pepper and chili powder. Add salt once the beans are cooked.
• Gently wash the mushroom caps with running water, protecting them with your hands so as to prevent them absorbing too much of the water.
• Place the mushrooms on a sheet of aluminum foil on a baking tray. Slice the garlic and gently insert each piece into the mushroom caps. Sprinkle the chopped nipitella over the mushrooms and add salt, pepper and a generous dash of olive oil.
• Wrap the mushrooms in the aluminum foil, carefully ensuring all the edges are sealed and place on a baking tray in a shallow bath of water. This is now ready to be cooked 'bain marie' style for 20 minutes.
• Once the mushrooms are cooked, assemble them onto a plate with two large tablespoons of the cooked beans and some small shavings of crusty bread. Drizzle with olive oil and serve the dish piping hot.

SAUTEED WILD MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Brush the caps of each mushroom with a clean sponge. Remove and discard the stems. Slice the small mushrooms thickly and cut the large ones in a large dice.
• Heat the olive oil in a large (11 - inch) Dutch oven or saucepan. Add the shallots and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, or until the shallots are translucent. Add the butter, mushrooms, salt, and pepper and cook over medium heat for 8 minutes, until they are tender and begin to release their juices, stirring often. Stir in the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Toss in the parsley, sprinkle with salt, and serve warm.

WILD MUSHROOM SAUCE

Steps:

• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Saute shallots briefly, then stir in all of the mushrooms. Saute until tender and translucent, about 3 minutes. Pour in red wine, and simmer for 3 minutes. Stir in demi glace, and simmer for 6 minutes, or until sauce has thickened.

MUSHROOM CARPACCIO WITH PECORINO TOSCANO

Steps:

• Slice mushrooms lengthwise as thinly as possible with slicer.
• Spread mushrooms out on a large platter and drizzle with lemon juice. Using a vegetable peeler, shave some of Pecorino Toscano over top. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with celery leaves.
• Fontaleoni Vernaccia di San Gimignano '07