Recipe of the Week

    To prove to mother nature that I am not a man to be easily discouraged, regardless of my poison oak ravaged body, I went back out to the woods a couple of days ago. This time I had water and all the stuff I normally bring. My gift was a full compliment of wild edibles including Porcini, Matsutake Pines, Chanterelles and Honey caps. When I returned home I lathered myself in cortisone cream and parked myself in front of the stove to make on of my favorite dishes. Hope you like.

Wild Mushroom Ragout with Puff Pastry & Fresh Herbs

I first served this dish at my restaurant in Seattle where wild mushroom were abundant during the fall and spring. I think it is a wonderfully earthy yet elegant way to serve wild mushroom and highlight their inherent complexity.

Recipe by Kevin McKenzie

Ingredients

Assorted Wild Mushrooms               1 pound, cleaned and sliced

Shallots                              3 each, finely diced

Garlic Clove                          2 teaspoons, finely diced

Brandy                                2 to 3 ounces

Good Brown Stock (veal)               1 cup

Unsalted Butter                       ¼ pound

Fresh Tarragon                        1 tablespoon, rough chop

Fresh Basil                           1 tablespoon, leaves torn

Fresh Chives                          1 bunch, small mince

Roasted Pine Nuts                     ¼ cup

Puff Pastry                           1 pound, cut to resemble mushrooms

Mild Olive Oil                        1 to 2 tablespoons

Method

Heat pan, add olive oil and continue to heat until just barely smoking

Sauté shallots, then garlic then quickly toss in mushrooms and cook at high heat until they have both released their water and absorbed it again.

Flame mushrooms with brandy

Add veal stock and reduce over medium heat until desired consistency. Just before serving stir in butter, fresh herbs and pine nuts.

Cut puff pastry mushrooms in half and place ragout attractively over bottom half and them place top pastry half on top of mushrooms