Mushrooms are the short ribs of the vegetable kingdom

Alyson and I have been trying to connect, hop on the phone, respond to a text, post on our walls, send a message in a bottle with no luck. 

Since all that excitement about the Creminis I came across at Whole Foods, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to get together, pour some wine, kickback, cook and blog. 

Then we take it a step further and invite our other friend Rachelle. An email goes out to wrangle everyone. This response comes back from Rachelle. 

Rachelle's email: "I would love to join you. I do have to confess though that I am not an avid mushroom enthusiast. But I would love the company and to join in the festivities. Thank you for the invite and thinking of me. I will bring the wine, do you both like red?" 

Me (inside my head): "But there's 4 pounds of Creminis and two-days worth of reduction involved!" 

Me on email: "Oh yaay! I promise, mushrooms aren't the only thing on the menu. Apparently, the 'Shoomwich is like a Croque Monsieur, sans ham. ha-ha! Vino is always welcome but not necessary. Can't wait to see the both of you... :)" 

Now I'm excited. I get ambitious... at some point I thought of making Duck a la Kumquat lollipops, even Baby Lamb sliders, Faux Gras (also from Happy in the Kitchen) was involved. The husband pulls me from the ledge of this 14-course meal. I'm keeping it simple. Pairing a small bites menu with the Shroomwich. Fine... another market stop, then off to the kitchen. 

Making Shroomich is a two-day, two and a half step process. 

Day one: Make the mushroom water and it's bi-product mushroom puree. 

We start with 4-LBS of Cremini mushrooms: 

Then cleaning the mushrooms... this takes about an hour. 

I found out mid-way through the cleaning process, it is best to use a dry paper towel. The texture or imprint (if you will) on the towel really speeds up the task. 

The recipe says to use a meat slicer to slice the 'shrooms paper thin. I'm not about the take a button Cremini to my monster sized meat slicer. I decide on the mandoline instead. The Creminis are so small that the mandoline slice guard does not hold the mushroom. So, I'm doing this without protection. Definitely watching the fingers. 

Now all the mushrooms in a large pot on medium to high heat. And let the ingredients sweat. 

This is what the first 45 mins looks like. I stir often. It makes a sound similar to indigestion in the middle of the night. At this point I'm so tempted to add water. In the hopes that it'll jump start the liquid rendering process. But I trust in Michel Richard's wisdom. I walk away and go catch a few minutes of Law & Order. 

I'm easily an hour into leaching the liquid out of the shrooms. And still not a lot of water. Although mushrooms have turned grey and wilted.  Now on what planet is it a good thing to turn grey and wilted? 

Worried. I've read and re-read the recipe 14 times. Did it really not say to add water?! I'm about ready to call Citronelle and ask a luckless chef who picks up the phone if I need to add water.  But it's 8PM PST and if I called Georgetown at this hour, deep regret will quickly follow. 

Moving right along

Coming back from another ten minutes of Law & Order. I find the brew looking very-very promising. The sound of a burrito-induced indigestion only getting louder (apparently, this is a good thing).  There's now liquid midway through the pot and it's smelling glorious. 

Turning the fire to low and keeping a nice simmer. 

I line a fine mesh sieve with 2 layers of cheese cloth to drain the nectar from the Creminis. 

At first the stream of jus is constant but only lasts about a minute. 

Huh?? 

Then going back to the book - it says to (in so many words) squeeze the living daylights out of the saturated mushroom puree. 

Squeeze I did. 

See - Jus. 

Giving my triceps a much need wake-up call, there's still so much liquid the puree is holding. 

Now what?! 

Genius over here is now using a kitchen towel. 

This has officially turned into a workout. 

I would have asked my Dave to do the squeeze work but he is currently playing Annie Leibovitz. 

I'm just hoping to get the most nectar out of the 4-lbs of Creminis I've invested into. 

This is what 4 pounds of mushrooms, 3 hours of rendering liquid and 2 Law & Order reruns buys me in jus and puree.

Day two: Finally making the 'Shroomwich. 

Mise en place

1 1/2 C mushroom juice, 3/4 C heavy cream, 2 shallots, 1 clove of garlic, 3/4 C mushroom puree, Gruyere, Brioche, butter, fine sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper

Again with the Shallots: 

I could have been expelled from Culinary School for simply walking into the kitchen with one of these Tele-marketing gadgets. 

But hey, first of all, this was not purchased at 12MN from the Sham-Wow guy. Second, it's a Rosle.  And

third... I now realize that does not matter, it does look like a toy I would have bought from the Sham-Wow guy. 

But, wait there's more... 

Mince 2 Shallots. And there's a lot of shallots. 

I typically don't like to send my friends home with a full-night's worth of heartburn along with their doggie bags.

I'm only using two-thirds. 

 

Now ingredients into a sauce pot. 

1 1/2 C mushroom juice, 3/4 C heavy cream and minced shallots. 

I use a microplane to grate 1 clove of garlic directly into the mixture. 

Keep on low heat until mixture is reduced into half.

Also, pre heat the oven to 250. 

Meanwhile back in the dining room... 

Alyson is showing Rachelle, what we've been up to in the blog.

Test the mushroom juice reduction.

 If it coats the back of a wooden spoon, then you're good to go. 

(Set aside, if needed.) 

Take the 3/4 C mushroom puree into a bowl, season with fine sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper. 

Add 6 TBSP of reduced mushroom jus into the season puree. 

Working with Brioche and butter

Generously butter 4 slices of Brioche 

Slice very-very thinly the Gruyere (almost slivers).

Assembly time

At the bottom of each buttered piece of Brioche arrange Gruyere slivers to fit into the bread. 

(Recipe calls for triming the crust to make pretty little sandwich squares. Ya, not so much for me.)

Assembly: Brioche, butter, Gruyere and mushroom puree. 

Topped with Gruyere, butter, Brioche

Almost there. 

Take a non-stick pan, add 1 TBSP canola oil or Pam.

(This totally not in the included in our mise en plus.)

Place pan on high heat. 

(Once more not part of the recipe. I'm such the little rebel.)

Butter the outer parts of the sandwich. Place the buttered surface on the pan. Pat down. 

Butter the other side of the sandwich 

(I'm a symmetrical butter-er). 

Once the first side is golden brown, flip. 

Once both sides are nice and golden brown, set aside on a cookie sheet. 

Once all four sandwiches have done getting golden, place them into a 250 oven for 15 minutes. 

This helps gratinate the Gruyere.

(Makes the cheese nice and gooey)

Remember the mushroom juice reduction? Well, let me tell you, it gets to be a dipping sauce for our 'Shroomwich. 

The reduction might need a tweak in seasoning. A little salt or pepper, maybe a squeeze of lemon or even a few drops of Tabasco. 

Taste before serving. 

'Shroomwiches are done, my friends! 

In serving: mushroom juice in a ramekin, 2 wedges on a plate. 

24-hours later, am about to try the 'Shroomwich. 

I'm mostly watching Rachelle's reaction. I'm thinking... thankfully she's partially filled up Goat Cheese, Quince and Endive Boats, Asparagus Cigars and Nuts. Also, she's been enjoying some wine. I think I'll be fine. 

Everyone gets served. I sit down. It's quiet. We're all trying to see who takes the first bite. Then Alyson Chin-Chins the sandwiches, which is nice.  Chin-chin, dip, bite, crunch and quiet. So we're all chewing still no one is talking. I'm watching Rachelle bob her head. Alyson wants to say something, she too is bobbing her head... this is torture!

Someone say something... 

What felt like a life time of silence and my cooking-blogging career coming to screeching halt. Really only lasted 15 seconds. 

Rachelle: "hmmm... I like it. I could drink this sauce." 

Me: bobbing my head. 

Dave: "It's very good." Chewing. Then taking a second piece. 

Me: Still bobbing my head. 

Alyson: "Mushrooms are so hearty. It's like a roast." 

Alyson taking a second bite. 

Rachelle, polishes her plate. 

Alyson: "Mushrooms are the short ribs of the vegetable kingdom"  

Me (inside my head): Ding! 

Wine: Bridlewood Estate Winery | Blue Roan Syrah | 2005 | Central Coast

         BV Century Cellars | Chardonnay | 2009 | California

Music: Suddenly I See and Chasing Cars Station on Pandora

Next: I'm thinking something fun for OSCARS.... Still thinking. Stay tuned. 

This was fun. Thanks for stopping by.