Seared Mushrooms with Dijon Mustard Cream Sauce

 

This recipe sounds fancy and complicated but that is just a disguise! 

Sear mushrooms in butter until they begin to brown, deglaze the pan with a flavorful alcohol, add cream and a swirl of Dijon mustard and Voila! You have alchemical magic in a pan!

The beauty of this dish is that it is great over pasta, rice, polenta or even humble toast. But you will definitely want something to mop up that amazing sauce! 

For those of you worried about calories and the amount of heavy cream this dish requires, relax! Most of the cream is cooked a way as the sauce reduces, leaving behind flavor and unctuousness. 

Seared Mushrooms with Dijon Mustard Cream Sauce

(serves 2-3)

10 oz cremini mushrooms

1 shallot, minced

2 tablespoons butter

1 heaping teaspoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon sherry, marsala, or white wine

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

salt

pepper

parsley, minced, for garnish (optional)

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Remove stems from mushrooms and slice into 1/2 inch slices. Add butter to hot skillet with shallot and cook for 1 minute, adding a pinch of salt. Add mushrooms to the skillet, cut side down and allow to sear for 4-5 minutes, until they begin to brown. Turn each over gently and sear the other side for 4-5 minutes. Do not crown the pan, each mushrooms must sear so do this in batches if necessary.

Once mushrooms are seared, deglaze the pan with the alcohol (substitute broth if desired), crumble the dried thyme over the mushrooms and scrap up any bits that are sticking to the bottom of the pan. Add the cream to the pan and swirl the mustard into the cream. The cream should begin to simmer rapidly, turn heat down to a medium simmer and add salt and pepper to taste. Toss the sauce to coat the mushrooms, turn off the heat and add parsley if using. Spoon mushrooms and sauce over your choice of pasta, polenta, rice or toast. 

Hugs!