Wild Mushroom Potato Kugel Food

WILD MUSHROOM-POTATO KUGEL

Steps:

• Soak the mushrooms in two cups of hot water for one hour, until soft; strain through a sieve lined with paper towel or a coffee filter.
• Reserve the soaking liquid.
• Rinse the mushrooms, pat them dry and chop them coarsely.
• Heat the 4 tablespoons of oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat.
• Add the onions and saute, stirring, until lightly browned, about 15 minutes.
• Transfer the onions to a bowl and season with salt and pepper.
• In the same skillet, place the mushrooms, garlic and mushroom liquid.
• Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the liquid evaporates.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from heat.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Generously oil the bottom and sides of a heavy baking dish (a 13" x 9" lasagna pan for example) (an enamelled, cast iron pan works best).
• Grate the potatoes, transfer to a colander, rinse well, drain, and then squeeze out as much liquid as possible with your hands.
• Combine potatoes in a large bowl with the onions, eggs, and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper.
• Place the baking pan (empty) in the oven for a moment or two until the oil is just sizzling.
• Remove the pan from the oven and layer half the potato mixture in the pan.
• Spread the mushrooms over the potatoes, then add the remaining potato mixture, smoothing the top.
• Drizzle a little olive oil on the top and bake the kugel about 50 minutes, until the top is golden and crisp.
• Remove from the oven and let stand, until it reaches room temperature, at least 30 minutes.
• Reheat 15 minutes at 350°F before serving.

WILD MUSHROOM-YUKON GOLD HASH

Steps:

• Put the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by 2 inches. Add 2 tablespoons salt and bring to a boil. Cook until a skewer inserted into the center of each potato meets with no resistance, about 20 minutes. Drain well and let them cool slightly while you prepare the mushrooms.
• Heat 2 tablespoons each of the butter and canola oil in a large cast-iron pan over high heat until the mixture begins to shimmer. Add the mushrooms, garlic and shallots. Cook until the mushrooms are golden brown and all of the liquid has evaporated, and the shallots are tender. Transfer to a bowl.
• Cut the potatoes into 1/2-inch dice, keeping the skin on. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and oil in the same pan over medium-high heat, and heat until the mixture begins to shimmer. Add the potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Spread in one layer and cook, pressing with a spatula, until crisp and deep golden brown on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms, parsley, thyme and vinegar. Toss to warm through, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a platter and drizzle with olive oil. Serve hot or at room temperature.

POTATO GNOCCHI WITH WILD MUSHROOM SUGO

Steps:

• For the gnocchi:
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Bake potatoes until very soft on a bed of coarse salt in a baking dish, about 45 minutes. (The salt keeps the potatoes from touching the dish and developing a hard spot.) Cool potatoes until warm, then halve lengthwise and scoop out the flesh. Pass the flesh through a food mill or ricer, or push it through a coarse sieve. You should have about 4 cups.
• In a bowl, combine potato, egg yolks, Parmesan, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Work the mixture with a wooden spoon until smooth. Add 1 cup of the flour and knead very gently, patting and pressing the dough with your hands until all the flour is incorporated. Add some or all of the additional 1/4 cup flour if the dough feels too moist, it should be soft but shouldn't stick to your hands. Transfer dough to a work surface and roll into a log about 3 inches in diameter. Cut the log into 8 equal pieces.
• Give each piece a quarter-turn so that you are rolling the dough in a different direction, then roll into ropes, a generous 1/2-inch in diameter, as if making breadsticks. Flour the ropes generously, and then cut crosswise at 1/2-inch intervals. You can shape the gnocchi on a ridged butter paddle or on the back of a fork, or you can cook them as is. Let them dry at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before cooking.
• For the sugo:
• Heat a large saute pan over high heat. When hot, add oil, and then sprinkle in the mushrooms. Don't stir! Let the mushrooms sizzle and caramelize for 7 to 8 minutes. Stir and season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute to release its fragrance. Add the rosemary and shallot and cook for about a minute. Cook briefly to release their fragrance, then add tomato and red wine and simmer until almost evaporated. Add the broth or water. Simmer until slightly reduced, 4 to 5 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in the butter. Sprinkle with the parsley and keep warm.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi. They are usually done about 2 minutes after they float to the surface, but test 1 to be sure. Lift them out with a skimmer and transfer to a large platter. Pour the warm sauce over the gnocchi. Grate Parmesan over the top and serve immediately.

WILD MUSHROOM POTATO GRATIN

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat to 400°F.
• Cook chanterelles or shiitakes with salt and pepper to taste in 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated and mushrooms are tender, about 8 minutes, then transfer to a bowl. Cook cremini in remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in skillet, stirring, until liquid is evaporated and mushrooms are tender, about 8 minutes, then transfer to bowl with wild mushrooms. Toss mushrooms with 1 teaspoon garlic.
• Peel potatoes and cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices (preferably with an adjustable-blade slicer). Bring potatoes, cream, milk, salt, white pepper, nutmeg, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon garlic to a boil in a 4- to 6-quart heavy pot, stirring once or twice, then remove from heat.
• Transfer half of potatoes to buttered gratin dish with a slotted spoon, spreading evenly. Spread mushrooms evenly over potatoes, then top with remaining potatoes. Pour cooking liquid over potatoes and sprinkle with cheese.
• Bake gratin until top is golden brown and potatoes are tender, 45 to 55 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

WILD MUSHROOM AND WILD LEEK FARFEL KUGEL

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium heat, stir together the eggs and farfel. Continue to stir until farfel has absorbed the eggs and gets dry and toasty.
• In another skillet, heat butter or oil over medium heat and stir in minced onion. Cook until golden, then add leeks and continue cooking for 15 minutes. In a seperate pan on high heat cook mushrooms for about 4 minutes. Combine leeks, onions and mushrooms.
• Add farfel and half of the stock to the leek/onion/mushroom mixture, continuing to stir. Turn heat to low and add 1 more cup of stock. Cook 4 minutes and add last cup of stock. When all the liquid has been absorbed, serve.

WILD MUSHROOM AND POTATO GRATIN

Steps:

• Place the dried porcinis in a bowl or a pyrex measuring cup and pour on 1 1/2 cups boiling water. Soak for 30 minutes. Line a strainer with cheesecloth and place over a bowl. Drain mushrooms, then squeeze in cheesecloth to extract juices. Rinse several times and chop medium-fine. Measure out 1 cup of broth.
• Meanwhile heat oven to 375 degrees. Rub inside of a 3-quart gratin dish or baking dish all over with the cut half garlic clove and lightly oil with olive oil. Heat oil in a wide, heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion or shallots and cook gently until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn up heat to high and add mushrooms. Cook, stirring, until they begin to sweat, 2-3 minutes, reduce heat to medium, and add minced garlic, thyme, rosemary or sage and dried porcinis. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Season mushrooms with salt and pepper and continue to cook over medium heat until soft, about 5 more minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring, until it is no longer visible in the pan. Taste and adjust seasoning.
• In a large bowl combine potatoes, mushrooms, half the cheese, and salt and pepper. Arrange in an even layer in gratin dish.
• Combine milk and mushroom broth. Season generously with salt and pour over the potatoes and mushrooms. Press the vegetables down into the liquid. Bake 1 hour. Every 20 minutes remove gratin dish and press potatoes and mushrooms down into the liquid with the back of a large spoon. After 1 hour, sprinkle on remaining cheese and bake for another 30 minutes, until top is golden and the sides crusty. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Serve hot or warm.

WILD MUSHROOM & POTATO CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. tip the mushrooms into a bowl and pour over boiling water to just cover them. Leave to cool, then drain (reserve the stock for another time), squeezing out excess liquid.
• Heat about a fifth of the butter in a pan and stew the garlic over a low heat for 3-4 mins. Throw in the mushrooms and continue to cook for 15-20 mins until tender. Season well and set aside.
• Peel and slice the potatoes (don't wash them, as the starch holds the cake together). Butter a 20cm ovenproof pan, then overlap a layer of potatoes on the bottom. Build up the cake with layers of potato, scatterings of mushroom, dots of butter and seasoning, finishing with a layer of potatoes. Cover with foil and bake for 50-60 mins, until a knife slides into the cake easily. Remove from the oven, run a knife around the outside to make sure it doesn't stick, then leave to relax for at least 5 mins. Carefully invert onto a baking tray, cool and keep in the fridge. To serve, heat in the oven until piping hot and cut into wedges.

ROASTED WILD MUSHROOMS AND POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Place potatoes into a large roasting pan and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and mix to coat potatoes with salt and olive oil. Turn so the cut sides are up.
• Roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
• While potatoes are cooking, pour 1 teaspoon olive oil into a large skillet over medium heat and cook pancetta, stirring often, in the hot oil until pancetta releases some fat and looks like cooked ham, about 5 minutes. Stir in king trumpet, chanterelle, nameko, and clamshell mushrooms, adding a pinch of salt as they cook.
• Turn heat to high and cook mushrooms until most of the juices evaporate and mushrooms begin to brown, about 10 minutes.
• Turn oven heat up to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Stir potatoes in the baking dish; mix mushrooms and pancetta with potatoes. Return to oven and bake for 10 minutes; stir and continue baking until potatoes are browned, soft, and tender, about 10 more minutes. Let cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
• Drizzle sherry vinegar over potatoes and mushrooms, sprinkle with tarragon, garlic, and 1 tablespoon olive oil, and toss to mix. Taste and adjust seasoning. Transfer to a serving platter.