Special Issue
Breitenbush Wild Mushroom Conference 
October 22 - 24, 2004
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Recipes
(all © Michael Blackwell)

From Patrice: 

Herman,

I am attaching the recipe files. They are copywritten by Michael Blackwell and he has given permission for you to post them.

The two served at the BB dining room, and the most in demand, were the Buckwheat Mushroom soup and the Chanterelle Roulade (a mushroom dessert!). The Roulade was fabulous! Some of the others were especially good and served at the tasting, such as the mushroom pate and fritters, as well as the more traditional creamy mushroom soup. 

- Patrice


Baby Mushroom Fritters back

These crisp, tasty morsels are always a hit and make any event festive. All fried foods should be served fresh and hot for ultimate appeal.

2 tsp. Cajun or Blackened seasoning
1 tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. granulated garlic
½ tsp. curry powder
½ cup flour
2 cups buttermilk
1 lb. mushrooms, small button type (agaricus, chanterelle, etc.)
Vegetable oil for frying

Measure ingredients and heat oil in deep pan for frying. Mix spices and salt into flour. Stir flour into buttermilk until evenly combined. Dip mushrooms into thickened, seasoned buttermilk to coat. Immediately place in deep fryer and cook until golden brown and crisp. Check inside of first few pieces to ensure doneness. Serve fresh and hot. May be served with creamy or spicy dipping sauce for added effect.

Serves 4 to 6 as appetizer.

Spicy Dipping Sauce

1 cup orange marmalade
1 cup Bold n Spicy mustard
½ cup prepared horseradish

Stir together until evenly combined.


Mushroom Pâté back

Easy to make and so delicious, use as a sandwich spread, filling for dumplings or form in molds, decorate and slice for an elegant presentation.

4 Tbsp. oil or butter
1½ lb. mushrooms, white or brown, from grocer, thinly sliced
2 bunches green onions, finely chopped
1 ounce dried mushrooms, porcini, boletus, morels, etc.
½ cup hot water, for rehydrating dried mushrooms
1 pound chicken livers (substitution: ½ lb. tofu)
½ cup Sherry, Madeira, Marsala, or Brandy
½ tsp. hot sauce, Louisiana style
½ tsp. granulated garlic
¼ tsp. white pepper, ground
¼ tsp. nutmeg, ground
1/8 tsp. cloves or allspice, ground
½ cup heavy cream, optional

Measure and prep ingredients. Place butter in sauté pan over medium-high heat, when hot, sauté mushrooms until beginning to soften. Add green onions and sauté one more minute. Make window in center of pan and pour in livers. Pour wine around outside edge of pan. Let cook a few minutes then turn livers to cook other side. Livers are done when firm but still pink in center. Remove livers from pan and reserve. Add remaining ingredients to liquid in pan and simmer until reduced to less than ¼ cup. Remove from heat and transfer all to work bowl of food processor along with reserved livers. Using steel blade, process until mixture is completely smooth. Be patient.

When smooth, transfer to molds or ramekins and cool in refrigerator. When cool, decorate with sliced mushrooms, green onion cut-outs, crushed peppercorns, or pimento flowers. Serve chilled. May be made 2 to 3 days in advance.

Makes about 1 pound paté, enough to serve 6 or more.


Mushroom Soup (8 to 10 servings) back

This soup does not require beef broth. It does require onions that have been caramelized heavily to give a dark, sweet flavor. The consistency should be slightly thickened and not even coat the back of a spoon, only enough flour to give body to the liquid but not really thicken.

At Breitenbush Mushroom Conference 2004 we used Pig's Ear (Gomphus Clavatis) to make this soup. No dried mushrooms were used and it was still tasty and good.

6 Tbsp. butter
1 each medium onion, finely chopped
1 pound fresh agaricus* mushrooms, finely chopped
1 oz. dried boletus or porcini mushrooms
½ cup hot water, for rehydrating
¼ cup flour
4 cups beef stock, beef bouillon, or strong dark vegetable stock
¼ tsp. white pepper
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1 - 1½ cups or less heavy cream

*from the grocer or use whatever fresh edible mushrooms you have on hand. 
(Canned commercial beef stock, bouillon or au jus is the preferred liquid)

Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add onion and stir over moderate heat until onion is fully browned and caramelized. Add mushrooms and cook another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. (While mushrooms are sautéing soak the dried mushrooms in hot water. I like to soak them 3 or more hours in advance) Blend in flour until mushroom/onion mixture is well coated. Add the stock slowly, stirring continually. After soaking dried mushrooms, finely chop and add along with soaking water when adding stock. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Add white pepper and nutmeg. Remove from heat and stir in cream.

At Breitenbush '04 we used powdered vegetarian beef broth available from Whole Foods Markets.


Wild Mushroom Ragout back

This stew makes an excellent entree when served over polenta, also delicious served along side roast pork or any number of vegetable soufflés; great accompanied by thick slices of crusty bread.

½ cup hot water, for soaking dried mushrooms
½ ounce dried mushrooms, boletus, morels, or shiitake
3 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 cup coarsely chopped onions
2 pounds fresh mushrooms, preferably local wild mushrooms, quarter or slice
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. dried thyme, crushed
1 tsp. minced fresh rosemary
¼ cup dry sherry
1 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp. brandy
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
½ - 1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

Place dried mushrooms in small bowl, cover with hot water and let soak for 15 - 20 minutes to soften. When soft, finely chop mushrooms and reserve soaking liquid.

In large, heavy pot, heat butter and oil over medium-high heat and sauté onions until browned. Add mushrooms and garlic and sauté until tender, about 3 - 4 minutes. Add, soaked, dried mushrooms, soaking liquid, herbs, sherry and cream. Cook about 8 minutes or until reduced and lightly thickened. Add brandy and lemon juice and cook another 2 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste.

Serves 6


Spiced Chanterelle Roulade back

This is a delicious icebox cream cake that was first served as dessert on the final day of the North American Mushroom Association conference held in Port Townsend in 1993. They raved about it and so will your guests.

Cake:

6 each eggs
½ cup sugar
1 cup chanterelle puree
1 tsp. spice blend
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt

Filling:

1½ cups heavy cream
1½ tsp whip cream stabilizer, (from Home Cake Decorating Supply)
½ cup powdered sugar
½ cup chanterelle puree or equal amount sautéed, tiny chanterelles
4 oz dried apricots, (soaked in 1½ cups boiling water, drained)
½ tsp. spice blend
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup chopped, toasted pecans, to sprinkle over slices (optional)

Preheat oven to 350º F. Line a 10½ x 15½ - inch pan with parchment paper and grease paper on both sides. Whip the egg and granulated sugar in mixer until fluffy and thick, about 6 to 10 minutes. While whipping eggs and sugar in mixer, stir together sifted flour, spice blend, baking powder and salt.

When eggs are thick and fluffy, alternately fold in chanterelle puree and dry ingredients. When evenly combined, pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake 15 minutes, until cake bounces back when touched in the center. Turn out onto paper or cool pan. Immediately peel off top paper, carefully roll up cake lengthwise, roll paper around rolled cake to hold in place and let cool. After cooling for 15 minutes unroll slightly and complete cooling unwrapped.

Meanwhile, prepare filling. Drain apricots and puree in food processor. Whip the cream, whipping cream stabilizer and powdered sugar until getting stiff but still wet. Blend together chanterelle puree, apricot puree, spice blend and vanilla until evenly combined. Carefully fold together with whipped cream.

Unroll cooled cake, spread with filling and carefully roll up. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill 24 hours. When ready to serve, unwrap, sprinkle with powdered sugar or ice with additional whipped cream. Slice into 1 to 1½-inch slices. Keep cold. Sprinkle with pecans when serving.

Serves 8 to 10. 

Spice blend: 

½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. ginger
¼ tsp. nutmeg
¼ tsp. allspice

Chanterelle puree: 

2 Tbsp butter or oil
3 cups chopped chanterelles

Heat butter in skillet and sauté mushrooms until soft. If any liquid forms continue cooking until evaporated. Transfer cooked mushrooms to food processor and process until smooth. 

Yield: 1½ cups chanterelle puree.


Seared King Boletus Cutlets back

This is the first way that I learned to cook and eat Boletus Edulis when I was a cook on a commune in Colorado at the base of Mount Audubon in 1969; a tasty treat and very acceptable steak for dinner or anytime, also a good preservation technique just before freezing.

Olive oil or butter, unsalted
Garlic, crushed or sliced thin
Large thick mushroom slices
Salt and pepper to taste
Fine brandy, Cognac or sherry

Slice boletus into ¾-inch to 1-inch slices or if using smaller boletes, cut in half lengthwise. Rub mushrooms with garlic. Sprinkle slices with salt and pepper to taste.

Use a hot skillet. Keep at medium-high heat so as to not burn or blacken flesh of mushroom but to just sear to golden brown. Spread 1 or 2 tablespoons of olive oil on hot skillet or griddle. Place thick mushroom slices on oiled hot skillet and let brown to golden on one side. Turn to brown on other side; while browning sprinkle with fine brandy, cognac or sherry.

Serve as entrée with roasted yellow potatoes and steamed broccoli. Use as meat layer in lasagna. Serve with sweet potato croquettes and almond- brown jasmine rice pilaf.


Golden Nugget Squash back
 with Truffle oil, Parmesan Mashed Potatoes, and Grilled Shiitakes

6 softball-sized golden nugget squash with rub of vegetable oil
4 cup stemmed Shiitake mushrooms
2 cup quartered Yukon gold potatoes
¼ cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. Truffle oil
½ cup fresh grated Parmesan
1 tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. fresh cracked black pepper
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. fresh thyme
1 Tbsp. fresh chopped parsley
2 Tbsp. fresh shredded basil

Lightly rub squash with vegetable oil, and cut the bottom points of each squash off so they sit upright. Place on a cookie sheet lined with the kosher salt. Bake at 350F for 35 - 40 minutes. Cool. Cut one-inch of tops of the squash. Remove the seeds. Season the inside with salt and pepper. Set squash and lids aside.

Toss shiitakes with olive oil and ½ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper. Grill mushrooms on each side for 2 to 3 minutes. Cool slightly, then cut into thin strips. Toss with half the Truffle oil, 2 tsp. Parmesan, thyme and parsley. Set aside.

Boil, mash and drain potatoes. Heat cream, butter and remaining half of Truffle oil; add to potatoes with 4 Tbsp. Parmesan and ½ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper and shredded sweet basil. Mash ingredients together.

Fill the squashes with potatoes. Place Shiitakes on top, pressing them in firmly. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Warm squash in a 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes until the centers are hot and the Parmesan cheese becomes almost golden brown. Serve with lid leaning on filled squash or discard lids.

Makes 6 portions.


Crispy Garlic Choy Sum back
with Black Truffles (or with Shiitakes and Truffle Oil)

1 large head choy sum, washed and cut into 2-inch pieces
16 cloves of garlic, sliced thinly
½ cup vegetable stock
1 large black truffle, sliced (or substitute with sliced shiitakes and truffle oil)
Salt and black pepper to taste

In a hot wok, coat with canola oil and brown the garlic. Add the choy sum and season. Add vegetable stock and cook for only 3 minutes. Plate up and cover with truffles. The steam of the dish will heat the truffles to release its oil and flavor. If using the shiitakes, add them after the garlic, before adding the choy sum. Sprinkle with truffle oil.

Choy sum (choi sum) is sometimes referred to as a flowering pak choy or Chinese flowering cabbage.


Croatian Mushroom Soup with Buckwheat back

This recipe was served Friday night. It was very well received and is particularly wonderful if using Matsutakes: nice balance of flavor from Matsutakes, garlic, and buckwheat

1½ oz onions
2 cloves garlic
12 oz fresh mushrooms or 6 oz dried mushrooms
2 oz buckwheat groats, hulled, toasted
4 Tbsp. sunflower seed oil
1 bay leaf
½ tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. vegetable seasoning or liquid aminos
1 qt water or vegetable or mushroom broth
salt and pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley
1 Tbsp. vinegar
1 cup sour cream (optional)

Chop the onion and garlic, slice the mushrooms and wash the buckwheat.

Heat the oil and lightly sauté the onion until clear. Add the mushrooms and the garlic, and continue to sauté. Add the salt, vegetable seasoning, buckwheat, and the bay leaf, and cover with water. Simmer gently, and just before it is completely cooked, give it a taste.

Add salt, pepper, chopped parsley, and vinegar to taste.

Serve topped with sour cream (optional).

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