Mushroom Stock

Mushroom stock provides a savory foundation for many recipes. Because it has a very distinctive flavor, use it in dishes that will benefit from its substantial contribution.It's easy to make in a large quantity, so  you can keep some on hand. Freeze it it you won't use it in a few days.

Asian markets have the most wonderful dried mushroom assortments at very reasonable prices. Adjust spices as you like.

INGREDIENTS
1-2 T olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
2 shallots cut into several pieces
2 small carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
8 oz white mushrooms
4 garlic cloves, smashed
2 oz dried shitake mushrooms, reconstituted
1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
1 bay leaf
6 sprigs parsley, coarsely chopped
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 fresh sage leaves
9 cups cold water

Heat the oil over medium heat in a deep pot.
Add the onions, shallots, carrots, celery and white mushrooms, stirring frequently, until onions become translucent and mushrooms begin to release moisture.. About 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute.

Add remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer for two hours. Strain, pressing liquid out of vegetables. Discard vegetables.

Quick Vegan Brown Sauce

Also from Mastering the Art of French Cooking, this quick brown sauce is great when time is short. It is really nothing more than stock thickened with cornstarch or arrowroot. As Julia says, it has no culinary interest at all unless the base (stock) is excellent.

You will need
A 4 cup saucepan
A wire whip or whisk

2 T cornstarch or arrowroot
2 cups of excellent stock

Optional: 1/4 cup Madeira, port, or cognac

Blend the cornstarch or arrowroot with 2 tablespoons of cold stock, then beat in the rest of the stock. Simmer for 5 minutes or until sauce has cleared and thickened slightly. Season to taste. If adding wine or cognac, simmer for 2-3 minutes until alcohol has evaporated. This sauce may be set aside and reheated when needed.

Vegan Basic Brown Sauces with Thanks to Julia Child

This is a classic French sauce from Julia Child's cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking. If you don't have two hours to spend making it, skip straight ahead to the Quick Vegan Brown Sauce.

For about 1 quart of Brown Sauce you will need

A heavy-bottomed 2qt saucepan
A wooden spatula or spoon
A wire whip

1/3 cup each: diced celery, carrots, onions
4 T olive or canola oil (reduced from original recipe)

4 T flour

6 cups boiling mushroom stock
2 T tomato paste
A medium herb bouquet: 3 parsley sprigs, 1/2 bay leaf, 1/4 tsp thyme tied in cheesecloth

Cook the vegetables slowly in the oil for about 10 minutes.
Blend the flour into the vegetables, stirring constantly over moderately low heat 8-10 minutes or until the flour turns a golden brown. (This is a vegan roux.)

Remove from heat. With a wire whip or whisk, immediately blend in all the boiling liquid at once. Add the herb bouquet.

Simmer slowly, partially covered, for 2 hours or more. Add more liquid if the sauce thickens too much.

Green Onion Chimichurri

This recipe comes from the Maya Grill at the Disney Coronado resort. I had dinner on my own there one night at a recent conference. It was pricey, but not more than the dinner menu at my two favorite restaurants: Blue in Flagler Beach, and The Goblin Market in Mount Dora.

I opted for an appetizer (good) and a salad (beautifully presented) with a glass of a dry Argentinian white wine, Terrazas de Los Andes Reserva Unoaked Torrontes 2007. The wine was a find, and I recommend it if you like dry white wines. I was also served three pretty little rolls and a dish of green dipping sauce. This was the real hit of the evening.


I had not brought a book, or a crossword puzzle to pass the time between ordering and eating, but I had my trusty iPhone in my purse. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to annoy my son with numerous text messages and photos of my food. He's a good sport, and generally humors me. He's a good cook, too. Apparently my picture snapping and texting drew the attention of the manager, who hustled over to make sure all was well. When I complimented him on the lovely green sauce, he offered me the recipe. It was already printed up, so I don't think I am sharing any secrets here. Chimichurri is most often used as a marinade for grilled meats, but I have found it to be just right for grilled vegetables.

GREEN ONION CHIMICHURRI (Batch)
Makes 10 Servings

10 oz (weight) Green onion, chopped
20 oz (weight) Green pepper, chopped
10 oz (weight) Parsley, chopped
  5 oz (weight) Garlic, minced
  8 oz (volume) Olive oil
  4 oz (volume) Lime juice
  1 oz (weight) Coarse black pepper
  1 oz (weight) Salt

Blend all ingredients. Refrigerate until needed. Use creatively.