Mushroom Bourguignon Recipe

We have nothing but respect and admiration for France's well-earned culinary reputation. From the country that's brought us buttery, flaky croissants, French wine, and modern democracy, we find inspiration for this week's featured recipe: Savory, comforting Mushroom Bourguignon!

This dish's star ingredient of mushrooms brings a deep, earthy goodness to the sauce, while the parsnips and carrots add a silky smoothness and a pop of sweetness. Serve it all over a plate of egg noodles, and you'll be in for a proper taste of France!

Now, the keen culinary observer will have noticed the word "Mushroom" proceeded Bourguignon instead of the word "Beef". Correct! We're going vegetarian with this one - and not because we have to; it's because we want to. 😎  

Of course, you're welcome to swap the mushrooms for the traditional beef, but this slight twist on a classic dish is downright delicious, vegetarian-friendly, and legitimately healthy.

Big Horn Culinary College:

Mushrooms - Supporting Your Immune System, Boosting Cardiovascular Health, & Reducing Inflammation

Before we dive into the details, let's talk fungi! Mushrooms offer up delicious flavors, hearty textures, and best of all...? LOTS of heath benefits. To name a few:

🍄 Immune System Support - Mushrooms contain beta-glucans that may stimulate the immune system, enhancing its ability to combat infections and diseases. This support can help prevent common illnesses like colds and flu and reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer and autoimmune disorders.

🍄 Antioxidant & Anti-Inflammatory Properties - Rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, mushrooms can protect against cell damage and reduce body inflammation. This protection can lower the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

🍄 Cardiovascular Health - Mushrooms can lower cholesterol levels, reduce blood pressure, and improve blood lipid profiles, all of which contribute to a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke. Additionally, specific mushrooms like reishi and cordyceps can improve blood flow and further decrease cardiovascular disease risk. 

Ingredients:

Now, let's get shopping! 

(Recipe makes 6)

1. 2 Tbs of High-Quality EVOO (Any of these will do nicely!)
2. 2 Pounds Mixed Mushrooms (e.g., Cremini, Oyster and Shiitake - trimmed, quartered and/or thickly sliced)
3. 3 Tbs of Unsalted Butter
4. 3 Medium Carrots (about 8 oz in total, cut on the bias into 1-in pieces)
5. 3 Small Parsnips (about 8 oz in total, cut on the bias into 1-in pieces)
6. 1 Large Onion (sliced thinly)
7. 2 Tbs of Tomato Paste
8. 2 Cloves Garlic (minced)
9. Kosher Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper
10. 1 Cup Dry Red Wine (e.g., Pinot Noir)
11. 2 Cups of Vegetable or Mushroom Broth
12. 2 Bay Leaves
13. 2 Tablespoons of All-Purpose Flour
14. Wide Egg Noodles
15. Freshly Chopped Parsley (for garnish)

Shopping done? Let's get cooking.

Instructions:

Act 1 - Maison des Champignons ("House of Mushrooms"): 

Coat the bottom of a large pot or Dutch oven with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Heat the oil to medium-high heat. 

Once the oil warms to the point of shimmering, add half the mushrooms in an even layer across the bottom. Cook, undisturbed(!), until the bottoms of the mushrooms are well browned. This should take about 3-4 minutes, and each minute is well worth it! There's loads of flavors that are developed here. 

After the 3-4 minutes are up, stir the mushrooms, and keep cooking them until their a bit more tender - about another 3 minutes. After a total of 6-7 minutes cooking time, transfer this first batch of mushrooms to a plate, and repeat this process with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and remaining mushrooms. 

Act 2 - Légumes et Beurre - Amies ("Veggies and Butter - Friends"):

After the mushrooms are cooked, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the same pot. (See the remnants from the mushrooms you've just browned? This will add amazing flavors to what you do next!)

Once the butter is melted, add the parsnip, onion, and carrots. Cook the mixture until the parsnips start to brown and the onions are translucent. Make sure you occasionally stir over the 6 minutes you'll want to cook this mix. 

After the 6 minutes are up, stir in the tomato paste, garlic, thyme, a few grands of black pepper and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook another 2 minutes, until the garlic is tender and the tomato paste develops into a deep, rich red. 

Next stir in the wine, and let it simmer! You should let the liquid reduce by about half, taking between 2-3 more minutes. 

Act 3 - Qu'il y Ait de la Saveur! ("Let There be Flavor!"): 

It's time to bring the mushrooms back to the party at this point (all of them). At this point, also stir in the broth, bay leaves, a few more grinds of black pepper, and a healthy pinch of salt. 

Bring this to a boil, but then reduce the heat to medium, and let simmer - uncovered. The goal is to make sure the mushrooms are very tender and the sauce has reduced a bit. This should take between 20-25 minutes of gentle simmering.

Act 4 - Faisons un Roux! ("Let's Make a Roux!"): 

While the sauce mixture is simmering away, we're going to make a Roux! A Roux is a mainstay in French cooking, and it's basically a mixture of some kind of fat and flower.

In this recipe's case, we'll make our Roux by stirring our flour into the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Make sure you stir until a thick paste forms. We suggest using a small bowl.

After your Roux is formed, stir this mixture into the sauce until it's completely absorbed. Next, allow things to continue simmering and thickening up nicely. This should take another 10 or so minutes. 

Once your sauce is finished, make sure you remove the bay leaves and adjust the taste as you see fit with extra salt and / or more turns of the pepper grinder.

Finally, serve the sauce over the cooked egg noodles, garnish with a sprinkle of chopped parsley, and pat yourself on the back for a travail bien fait ("job well done")! 

Enjoy!