One of my favorite specialty food purveyors, Marx Foods, is holding a Blogger Mushroom Recipe Challenge. A few food bloggers (myself included) were chosen to create recipes for a variety of dried mushrooms Marx Foods offers…you can imagine my delight when five samples of exotic fungi landed on my doorstep last week with a note from Justin Marx:
“Enclosed are the dried mushroom samples. Next step: Use any or all of the mushroom varieties to develop an original recipe, then publish it on your blog and send me the link.”
Not only was I up to his challenge, I also wanted to stretch myself. I wanted to use ALL FIVE varieties, each in a dish that would showcase their individual flavors and characteristics. So, I decided to create a complete meal, from appetizer to dessert. It was a fun (and exhausting) day in the kitchen and my guests were happy to be the official tasters.
Please note: All mushrooms arrived dried and were reconstituted according to www.marxfood.com/how-to-reconstitute- dried-mushrooms/
APPETIZER: Lobster Mushroom and Smoked Salmon in Pate Choux with Rosemary Lemon Cream Gastrique
1/2 cup water
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 sprig rosemary, stemmed and chopped finely
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1/4 ounce Marx Foods Dried Lobster Mushrooms, reconstituted
1/4 cup smoked salmon, flaked
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup cream
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bring water and flour to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the flour and reduce heat to low. Stir until well incorporated. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Add half of the rosemary, half of the lemon juice and the salt. Fill a plastic bag with the dough, then pipe half of it into six small circles on a baking sheet.
Place equal amounts of mushrooms and salmon in the center of each circle. Pipe the rest of the dough onto each, then seal with fingers dipped in water. Bake for 20 minutes or until light golden brown.
Meanwhile, bring the remaining lemon juice, a teaspoon of zest, rice wine vinegar and sugar to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until golden in color, with the consistency of a light syrup. Add the remaining rosemary and cream, whisking to incorporate. Remove from heat and let cool. Drizzle over the filled pate choux and serve. Makes six.
SOUP: Chanterelle Mushroom Vichyssoise with Fennel
1/2 bulb fennel, shaved and chopped
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 large red potatoes
1/2 cup Greek-style yogurt
1/2 ounce Marx Foods Chanterelle Mushrooms, reconstituted
1 cup beef broth
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Saute fennel with butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, for 15 minutes or until browned.
Boil potatoes in a medium pot until cooked through, about 20-30 minutes. Cool and chop.
Add fennel and mushrooms to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the potatoes, yogurt and broth. Blend until pureed. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then chill for at least 1 hour. Garnish with fennel fronds and serve.
SALAD: Arugula and Romaine Caesar Salad with Crispy Prosciutto and Fried Porcini Mushrooms
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
3 ounces prosciutto, torn to small bits
1/2 ounce Marx Foods Porcini Mushrooms, reconstituted and patted dry
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups panko, seasoned to taste
Canola oil
2 cups Romaine lettuce, chopped
2 cups arugula, chopped
1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled
Blend the garlic, Worcestershire sauce, mayonnaise, mustard and vinegar in a food processor. Slowly add the olive oil. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Add the prosciutto to a medium skillet and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until edges are crispy. Remove to a paper towel.
Heat canola oil in a medium pot over high heat. Dip each mushroom, one at a time, in the egg mixture, then coat with panko. Fry until light golden brown, then remove to a paper towel.
Toss the greens with the dressing, then sprinkle with the goat cheese and prosciutto. Toss again, then top with the mushrooms. Serve immediately.
MAIN: Beef Tenderloin Layered with Bleu d'Auvergne Cheese and Matsutake Duxelles
1 pound beef tenderloin, trimmed
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 ounce Marx Foods Matsutake Mushrooms, reconstituted, coarsely chopped
1/2 red onion, minced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
Olive oil
1/4 cup Bleu d’Auvergne Cheese, crumbled
Place beef in the freezer for 45 minutes.
Cook onion and butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until edges begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in the parsley.
Lightly coat four large ramekins with olive oil. Remove beef from the freezer. Slice beef thinly lengthwise, then slice crosswise into 2-inch pieces.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Place a layer of beef on the bottom of each ramekin, slightly overlapping each piece. Spoon about a tablespoon of mushroom mixture onto the beef. Add another layer of beef, then distribute the cheese equally to each ramekin. Add one more layer of beef, then the rest of the mushroom mixture.
Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes. Turn the oven setting to ‘broil’ and broil for 3-5 minutes or until beef is lightly browned. Serve.
DESSERT: Pinot Noir and Browned Butter Ice Cream with Black Trumpet Mushrooms and Cracked Black Pepper
2 cups Pinot Noir
1/2 ounce Marx Foods Black Trumpet Mushrooms, reconstituted, finely chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 pint heavy whipping cream
Cracked black pepper to taste
Cook wine over medium high heat in a small saucepan until reduced by half. Add the mushrooms and let cool.
Cook butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until light golden brown and remove from heat. Let cool.
Mix the wine, mushrooms and butter with a hand blender or whisk. Add the cream and blend until frothy. Add to ice cream maker and follow manufacturer’s instructions.
To serve, dish to individual bowls and sprinkle with pepper.
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