Truffled Mushroom And Spinach Ragout Recipes

BIG-BATCH HEALTHY BEEF, MUSHROOM AND SPINACH CALZONES

Steps:

• Set a pizza stone or baking sheet on an oven rack in the bottom third of the oven, and preheat to 425 degrees F.
• Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, 3/4 teaspoon salt and half the pepper flakes, and cook, breaking the beef up into large chunks with a wooden spoon, until the beef is browned all over, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms, 2/3 of the garlic and 3/4 teaspoon salt, and cook for 3 minutes more. Fold in the spinach, and cook until wilted, about 1 minute (the mixture should be relatively dry). Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, and let cool completely.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining oil, garlic and pepper flakes to the skillet, and cook, stirring, to lightly brown the garlic, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and 3/4 teaspoon salt, and simmer the sauce until thick, about 6 minutes; set aside.
• Divide the pizza dough into 12 balls. Spray 2 baking sheets with cooking spray. On a well-floured surface, roll out each ball into a 6- or 7-inch circle 1/8 inch thick. On the bottom half of each circle, mound 1/4 cup of the cooled beef mixture and top with 3 tablespoons of the mozzarella. Fold over the top half of the dough to form a semicircle, and pinch the edges to seal. Carefully transfer the calzones with a spatula to the prepared baking sheets. Lightly brush with the beaten egg. Cut 2 small slits on top of each to vent steam.
• Refrigerate half the calzones. With a spatula, transfer the rest of the calzones to the hot pizza stone or baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 22 minutes. Repeat with the remaining calzones. Reheat the tomato sauce, and serve on the side.
• To freeze: Let the baked calzones cool completely, then wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Place them in freezer bags, and freeze for up to a month. The sauce can be frozen in 12 small freezer bags for up to a month.
• To reheat: Thaw the frozen calzones in the fridge for 1 to 2 hours. Unwrap the calzones, then microwave them on a microwave-safe plate in 1-minute increments, rotating them after each, until heated through, 2 to 4 minutes. To reheat the sauce, microwave it in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until the sauce is hot.

FILET MIGNON WITH TRUFFLED MUSHROOM RAGOûT

Steps:

• Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chopped garlic and marjoram; sauté 30 seconds. Add mushrooms; toss to coat with butter. Sprinkle with salt. Cover and cook until mushrooms have released their juices, about 13 minutes. Add chicken broth, wine, and whipping cream and bring to boil. Cook uncovered until mushrooms are tender and sauce coats mushrooms, about 5 minutes. Season mushroom ragout to taste with salt and pepper. (Ragout can be made 3 hours ahead. Cover skillet and refrigerate.)
• Heat heavy medium skillet over high heat until hot. Add peanut oil and tilt skillet to coat evenly. Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper. Add to skillet and cook to desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer steaks to plates. Rewarm mushroom ragout in skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently. Spoon ragout partially over steaks and onto plates. Drizzle mushrooms on each plate with 1/4 teaspoon truffle oil.
• Available at Italian markets, specialty foods stores, and some supermarkets.

PENNE WITH MUSHROOM RAGOUT AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Place the dried mushrooms in a Pyrex measuring cup and pour on 2 cups boiling water. Let soak 30 minutes, while you prepare the other ingredients. Place a strainer over a bowl, line it with cheesecloth or paper towels, and drain the mushrooms. Squeeze the mushrooms over the strainer to extract all the flavorful juices. Then rinse the mushrooms, away from the bowl with the soaking liquid, until they are free of sand. Squeeze dry and set aside. If very large, chop coarsely. Measure out 1 cup of the soaking liquid and set aside.
• Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy, nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the onion or shallots. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes. Turn up the heat to medium-high and add the fresh mushrooms. Cook, stirring often, until they begin to soften and sweat, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and salt to taste, stir together for about 30 seconds, then add the reconstituted dried mushrooms and the wine and turn the heat to high. Cook, stirring, until the liquid boils down and glazes the mushrooms. Add the herbs and the mushroom soaking liquid. Bring to a simmer, add salt to taste, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the mushrooms are thoroughly tender and fragrant. Turn off the heat, stir in some freshly ground pepper, taste and adjust salt.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Fill a bowl with ice water. Add the spinach to the boiling water and blanch for 20 seconds only. Remove with a skimmer and transfer to the ice water, then drain and squeeze out water. Chop coarsely and add to the mushrooms. Reheat gently over low heat.
• Bring the water back to a boil and cook the pasta al dente following the timing suggestions on the package. If there is not much broth in the pan with the mushrooms and spinach, add a ladleful of pasta water. Drain the pasta, toss with the mushrooms and spinach, add Parmesan to taste, and serve at once.

MUSHROOM RAGOUT

Steps:

• In a small bowl, soak the porcini mushrooms in 1 1/2 cups hot water until softened, 15 minutes.
• In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-high heat. Add one-third of the assorted mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, 4 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove mushrooms to a plate and repeat twice with remaining mushrooms. Return all cooked mushrooms to skillet.
• Drain porcini mushrooms, reserving liquid, and coarsely chop. Add porcini, shallot and garlic to mushrooms and cook over moderate heat, stirring, 3 minutes. Strain porcini liquid over mushroom mixture, stopping before adding any grit or sand. Boil over high heat 4 minutes, or until reduced by half. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and fold in remaining 1 tablespoon butter.

MUSHROOM RAGOUT

Steps:

• In a small bowl, soak the dried mushrooms in 1/4 cup of hot water for 30 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the soaking liquid and coarsely chop. Strain and reserve the liquid.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, and shallots, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, porcini, rosemary, and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the wine and the reserved mushroom liquid and simmer until the liquid is reduced by about half. Add the tomatoes and a 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook over medium-low heat for 20 minutes. In a large skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and butter over high heat. When the foam begins to subside, add the mushrooms. Lower the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and season with pepper to taste. Add the mushrooms to the tomato sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve as is, or with pasta, polenta, or toasted bread.

SPINACH AND MUSHROOMS WITH TRUFFLE OIL

Steps:

• Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; sauté until brown and liquid evaporates, about 8 minutes. Add shallot; sauté 2 minutes.
• Add spinach, 1/3 at a time, to skillet with mushrooms and toss over medium-high heat, allowing each batch to wilt slightly before adding next, about 2 minutes per batch. Sauté just until all spinach is wilted and heated through. Stir in 1 teaspoon truffle oil. Season with salt, pepper, and more truffle oil, if desired. Transfer to bowl and serve.
• Sold at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Italian markets.

SPINACH STUFFED MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Brush 30 cups in muffin pans lightly with olive oil. Brush the remaining olive oil onto the mushrooms on all sides, and place them gill-sides-up into the muffin cups.
• Bake the mushrooms in the preheated oven until just tender, about 12 minutes. While the mushrooms are baking, beat the egg, salt, and garlic in a mixing bowl. Stir in the drained spinach, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, Gouda cheese, mozzarella cheese, and bread crumbs until evenly blended.
• Remove the mushrooms from the oven, and drain off any accumulated juice. Fill the mushroom caps with the spinach mixture, and replace into the muffin pan. Sprinkle the mushrooms with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
• Return to the oven, and bake until the stuffing is hot and golden brown, about 10 minutes.

CREAMY MUSHROOM & SPINACH PASTA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over a medium heat and fry the onion and mushrooms for 10 mins, or until softened and browned slightly. Meanwhile, cook the pasta following pack instructions.
• Add the garlic to the pan with the mushrooms and cook for 2 mins more. Tip in the crème fraîche and parmesan, stir to combine, then add the baby spinach. Set aside.
• Remove the pasta from the heat and drain, reserving 25ml of the water. Toss the pasta in the creamy mushroom sauce, put back on the heat and cook over a low heat until the spinach wilts, about 5 mins. Pour in enough of the reserved water to loosen slightly. Season with black pepper and finish with a sprinkle of chilli flakes, if you like.

MUSHROOM & SPINACH RISOTTO

Steps:

• Heat the oil and butter in a large deep frying pan. Add the onion and cook gently for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the mushrooms and garlic and cook gently for 2-3 minutes.
• Stir in the rice to coat with the onion and mushroom mixture. Pour in the wine and cook over a moderate heat for about 3 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the wine is absorbed.
• Reduce to a gentle heat. Add the tomatoes and 125ml/ 4fl oz of the stock and cook for about 5 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Pour in a further 125ml/4fl oz stock and continue cooking until absorbed. Repeat with the remaining stock, until it is all absorbed and the rice is creamy and tender.
• Stir in the parsley and half the parmesan. Season to taste. Scatter the spinach over the risotto. Cover and cook gently for 4-5 minutes until the spinach has just wilted. Serve immediately sprinkled with the remaining parmesan.