Fall mushrooms with grilled foccacia and gremolata
Creamy, cheesy polenta acts as a bed for savoury, earthy, umami-packed mushrooms in this dish. A rich, glossy mushroom sauce and bright gremolata turn this fall dish into something you’ll crave all year round!
SERVES
4
TO
6
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 pounds (793 g) mixed mushrooms (shiitake, king oyster, portabella), divided
Mushroom Sauce
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) olive oil
- 3 onions, sliced
- 1 large carrot, chopped
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- Reserved mushroom trimmings
- 12 cups (2.9L) water
- 1/2 cup (80ml) dried porcini
- 2 sprigs of thyme
- 2 sprigs of rosemary
- 2 sprigs of sage
- 1/4 cup (60ml) butter
- 1/4 cup (60ml) flour
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) tamari
- 2 teaspoons (10ml) browning sauce
- Salt, to season
Roasted Mushrooms
- 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
- 4 sprigs of thyme, leaves only
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) tamari
- Salt and black pepper, to season
Grilled Focaccia
- 6 thick slices of focaccia
- Oil, for grilling
- Salt and black pepper, to season
Gremolata
- 1 cup (240ml) parsley, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 lemons, zest only
Directions
- Roughly chop the mixed mushrooms, cutting them into approximately one-inch (two and a half centimetres) pieces. Separate the trimmings (about one-quarter) from the nicer bits (about three-quarters) and reserve separately – the trimmings for the Mushroom Sauce, and the nicer bits for the Roasted Mushrooms.
Mushroom Sauce
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
- Add onion, carrot, celery, and mushroom trimming. Cook until starting to brown, five to six minutes.
- Add water, dried porcini, thyme, rosemary, and sage to the pot. Bring to a boil and remove from the heat.
- Cover and let the stock steep for two hours.
- Meanwhile, in a large, separate pot, combine the butter and flour and cook together, stirring often, to form a dark roux, 30 to 45 minutes.
- Strain the stock into the roux a small batch at a time while whisking vigorously.
- Bring stock-roux mixture to a gentle simmer and cook until smooth and thickened, eight to 10 minutes. Add tamari and browning sauce.
- Season with salt and keep warm.
Roasted Mushrooms
- Heat a cast-iron pan over medium-high. Add oil.
- Add mushrooms and cook until nicely browned 10 to 12 minutes.
- Add butter, garlic, and thyme. Toss and cook for another three minutes.
- Add tamari and season with salt and pepper.
Grilled Foccacia
- Preheat the grill to high.
- Brush the sliced focaccia with oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Grill until charred and crispy on both sides, roughly two to three minutes per side.
- Reserve.
Gremolata
- In a small bowl, mix the chopped parsley, minced garlic, and lemon zest. Set aside.
Assemble
- Set a slice of Grilled Foccacia in the middle of a serving plate.
- Top with roasted mushrooms and neatly spoon the mushroom sauce over top.
- Garnish with gremolata and serve immediately. Enjoy!
