Mushroom Cream

Mushroom

As you will notice throughout my recipes, I am a humongous fan of pastas, and this is one that has done really well for friends, family and colleagues.

A pasta with a mushroom sauce, that can be prepped with three subtle changes that will alter your dish enough to keep it interesting, giving you some variety if you want to be lazy and just make a big batch that will last you through several meals, which, if you start with the base recipe, will be a little different every time.

If you don’t like pasta, substitute with either rice (a risotto kind of thing) or boiled potatoes. Any will really. I am curious to know if anyone would dare to eat it with sweet potatoes. I think it would go rather well, but haven’t gotten around to it.

Health wise, Mushrooms/champignons/chanterelles are good stuff. Leave them in the sun for about five minutes and they’re even better, containing vast amounts of Vit. D, giving you the daily dose you need.

It’s a simple recipe, I usually chose it when I’m in a rush and find the ingredients in my fridge. Hah.

Cheese wise it comes down to choice again. Gouda, Edam, Cheddar, Mozzarella, Parmesan, or a mix of the lot; your choice. Same goes for butter. Margarine will do, so will coconut butter…the latter will make it sweeter so take that into account.

If you do not have the individual herbs a basic Italian or Sicilian mix will do the trick.

Pasta Funghi.

(Serves four, will stretch to five with a salad)

Pasta: (I like fusilli, but any will do) 500 gr (one packet)

Butter: 200/300 gr. (half a pack)

Milk: 1 L (four coffee mugs).

Flour: 300 gr. (3 tablesp.)

Mushrooms (or a mix): 500 gr/1 kg. Fresh. Chopped or sliced.

Onion: 1 mid-size. Chopped.

Leek: 1 mid-size. Chopped.

Basil: 1 big pinch fresh. Chopped. (2 teasp. Dried)

Oregano: 1 pinch fresh. Chopped. (1 small teasp. Dried)

Chives: 1 big pinch fresh. Chopped. (3 teasp. Dried)

Black/white/chili pepper: 2 to 3 turns. (2 knife points)

Salt: ½ teasp. (To taste).

Sugar: 1 Small pinch (1/2 teasp.)

Nutmeg: (optional) 1 knife point.

Paprika: (optional) 1 knife point.

Red Bell Pepper: (optional) ½. Chopped.

As to the optionals… If you first add the cheese, the next day you can add the wine…or if you like wine sauce, throw it all in. Hah.

Cheese: 200/300 gr. Grated (1 mug).

White wine: ½ mug.

There are many was to prepare this, but I’m going to go for the quickest way.

Melt butter in a large skillet or wok. Add the onions, leek and herbs to it. Let bake until the onions turn a bit glassy. Toss in your copped mushrooms and bake until the mushrooms begin to shrink. Add all the seasoning, stir well on a low fire. If you chose for the red bell pepper, this is the time you put it in. Last ingredient to add is the sugar. Stir well and then powder your flour of choice over the mix. Bake until all whiteness is gone and then start stirring in your milk with a whisk. A creamy (grayish) sauce will form, to which you will add milk until it has the thickness you prefer. Your basic sauce is now done. Either stir it through your pasta, or pour a rich amount over the pasta on your plate.

If you decided on the cheese and/or wine sauce, once you have the thickness you prefer gradually add the cheese, stirring well until it has melted. Once again your sauce is done. Or…

If you wanted the whole shebang, you add the white wine of choice right after your cheese has melted, stir on a low fire for about 2-3 minutes and DONE.

If you are spreading out the “sauce” over several days, when you heat up the sauce you can add a new ingredient

Once you get the hang of this dish, you can prepare this meal within about thirty minutes. With everything already prepped…even faster.