Braised Mushroom Red Wine Sauce

Today is both National Mushroom Day and National Red Wine Day. So why not combine the two to create a wonderful dish that is perfect along side a delicious steak? Don’t you just love it when the steak at your favorite restaurant elevates their presentation with a  side of delicious mushrooms?

Mushrooms and red wine – what could be better? Braised mushrooms are delicious. A deep red wine reduction sauce compliments just about any cut of steak. These two were made to be together, don’t you think?

But first, did you know . . .

• In 1651 Mushrooms were found in an area of Paris
• In 1707 edible Mushrooms were successfully cultivated
• In 1950 the first above-ground Mushroom Nursery was built
• By 1955 concrete trays for Mushroom cultivation transitioned to wood boxes instead
• And by 1975 metal trays for Mushroom cultivation became the preferred material

What about Red Wine?

• One bottle of wine contains the juice of about 3 pounds of grapes
• The top three imported wines sold in the US are not French. They hail from Australia (Yellowtail); Italy (Cavit) and Chili (Concha y Toro)
• Three of the five top wine producing states in America are on the west coast; California, Washington and Oregon
• The term bouquet refers to the total scent of the wine. Aroma is the scent of the grapes. When wine tasters describe the bouquet and aroma together, the term used is nose. I guess the nose knows.

Now that you’re a wealth of useless information, let’s get to cooking, shall we?

Braised Mushroom Red Wine Sauce
1 lb Cremini Mushrooms, quartered
1/2 cup Red Onion,
1 tablespoon Thyme
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Flour
1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper or to taste
3/4 cup Beef Stock
1/2 cup Red Wine
1 tablespoon Butter

Gently wash the mushrooms, pat dry with paper towels. Cut mushrooms into quarters and set aside.

Finely dice red onion and set aside. Chop thyme, including stem if not too woody. If dry, strip leaves from the sprigs and use only the tender parts. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until starting to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add thyme, flour, salt and pepper and stir to coat. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute more. Add mushrooms, beef stock and wine, then bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to maintain a lively simmer and cook, stirring, until the sauce has thickened and the mushrooms are cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes more. Remove from heat and stir in butter.

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days; reheat before serving.

Author: Rosemarie's Kitchen

I'm a wife, mother, grandmother and avid home cook.I believe in eating healthy whenever possible, while still managing to indulge in life's pleasures. View all posts by Rosemarie's Kitchen