David Wallach's Wild-Mushroom Stew
- 18 cup dried morels
- 18 cup dried porcini
- 3 cups water
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup each of two other types of fresh mushrooms (such as shiitake, oyster, etc.), sliced
- 1/2 medium leek, diced
- 1 small new potato, peeled and diced
- 1 small carrot, peeled and diced
- 1/4 cup celery root, peeled and diced
- 1 medium artichoke heart sliced in 1/4-inch pieces (use either fresh or a high quality canned artichoke bottom)
- 1/2 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon thyme, chopped (or use fresh thyme)
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian parsley, chopped
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Juice of 1/2 lemon, if desired
- In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the dried morels and porcini with the water.
- Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat and let steep for 30 minutes.
- In a medium-sized saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.
- When the oil is hot, add the fresh mushrooms and cook over high heat until the edges of the mushrooms are golden brown.
- Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside.
- Put the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in the saute pan and heat over a medium flame.
- Add the leek and saute until translucent.
- Bring a medium pot of lightly salted water to the boil.
- Add the new potato and cook until it is tender but firm, about 2 minutes.
- Remove the potato from the water with a slotted spoon and reserve.
- Then add the carrot to the boiling water and blanch for about 2 minutes, or until the carrot is cooked al dente.
- Remove the carrot with a slotted spoon, refresh in cold water and set aside.
- Then add the celery root to the boiling water and cook for about 2 minutes or until the celery root is al dente.
- Drain from the water, refresh in cold water and set aside.
- Drain the mushroom broth through a fine mesh strainer and reserve the broth.
- Roughly chop the reconstituted mushrooms.
- Put the mushroom broth in a medium-sized saucepan and add the sauteed mushrooms, the reconstituted dried mushrooms, the cooked vegetables, the sliced artichoke, the bay leaf, chopped lemon thyme and parsley.
- Simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Season the stew with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add a splash of lemon juice to bring out the mushroom flavor.
- Serve with a hearty bread such as seven-grain or black bread.
morels, porcini, water, olive oil, mushrooms, new potato, carrot, celery root, either, bay leaf, lemon thyme, italian parsley, salt, lemon
Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/6083 (may not work)