Looks like it’s time for my annual blog post–or recipe-storage site.
Anyway, this January I went vegan for a week. Because it was only for a week, I gave myself certain restrictions. I’d avoid processed foods, I’d minimize my use of white flour and I’d avoid, for the most part, food masquerading as something else. In other words, no margarine, no veggie burgers, no tofurkey. My one exception was almond milk–I needed caffeine and I can’t stand black coffee.
After 7 days and samplings from 8 cuisines, the single most delicious dish I made was a potato-mushroom gratin from Deborah Madison’s Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. Of the ten or so cookbooks I used for this project, Madison’s was by far the most useful and consistent.
That said, this recipe involves some work and involves making first a stock (allow 45 minutes with soaking and cooking) and and then assembling and baking the gratin (which takes an hour and a half to bake.) So plan ahead.
Part One–Mushroom stock (DM says quick mushroom stock, but this is relative–much slower than opening a carton.)
Ingredients
1/4 c. dried mushrooms–DM says porcini, but I used portabello and all was well.
2 t. olive oil
1 onion chopped–I used half a large white one.
1 carrot chopped
2 fresh mushrooms sliced
2 t. tomato paste (or a tomato)
1 T fresh marjoram, or 1 t dried. I subbed fresh oregano. It worked
1/2 c. dry white or red wine
1 T flour
salt and pepper
1 t. red-wine vinegar.
DM also has one large clove of garlic sliced–I skipped this. Add it with the onions.
Cover dried mushrooms with 1 1/2 cups hot water and let soak for 15 minutes. Meanwhile heat oil in saucepan (fairly high) and saute onion, carrot, fresh mushrooms. Stirring occasionally, saute until brown–DM says around 10 minutes, but it took me less. Reduce heat and ad tomato paste, marjoram/oregano and wine. Sprinkle flour over mixture. Cover and cook until you have a syrupy glaze. (Takes a couple of minutes) Add the dried mushrooms AND their soaking liquid, salt, pepper and vinegar. Simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes. Strain. Then pick out the dried mushrooms for use in the gratin.
You should have about one cup of hard-earned stock. Fortunately, it can be made ahead.
On to, then,
Part II–the Potato-Mushroom Gratin
Ingredients
Presoaked dried mushrooms left over from stock. (app. 1 ounce)
salt and pepper
1 1/2 pounds potatoes–around 5
3/4 fresh mushrooms–I used button
1 cup of the mushroom stock.
grease for pan–normally I’d use butter, but for vegan week I used olive oil. It’s not nearly as effective as butter for this–so solid fat of your choice here.
Preheat over to 350 degrees.
Peel and slice potatoes 1/16″ thick–a mandoline or food processor helps a lot.
Chop presoaked dried mushrooms and slice button mushrooms. Heat oil in frying pan and saute fresh mushrooms 3 to 4 minutes in batches. Do NOT overcrowd the mushrooms as they will be soggy if you do. Season with salt and pepper.
Grease gratin or casserole dish. Layer bottom with half the potatoes, season with salt and pepper. Layer in the mushrooms, then cover with the rest of the potatoes and, again, season with salt and pepper. Heat the mushroom stock and pour over the gratin. You may need to supplement this with additional mushroom stock or liquid (I did not.)
Bake until golden and tender–yes, it really does take over an hour. Goes well with green salad. Can’t tell you what the leftovers were like as there were none.
