So I bought a container of Porcini Mushrooms from Whole Foods the other day for a recipe that I was making. It was way more than what the recipe called for but it was the only amount I could buy there. When I opened the container, the smell overwhelmed me! or rather I should say the stench! The odor that the dried porcinis give off is somewhat reminiscent of Vietnamese fish sauce, and if you've ever come in contact with that then you know it is a very unappetizing smell, and one that doesn't seem like it should be ingested. Despite this, I continued on with my cooking...
This is what they look like dried, but in order to use them in most recipes you need to soak them in hot water so that they return to a moist state. And thank goodness because this makes that awful smell dissipate into a more appetizing aroma!
The first recipe that I made using the dried porcini mushrooms was Braised Chicken with Pancetta. I made this along with some creamy polenta, which is made by boiling water with salt and slowly whisking in 1-1/2 cups of polenta. Then continue stirring so that no lumps form. Lower the heat and let it cook for 35-40 minutes stirring frequently until it starts to pull away from the pot. Then I grated about 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese into the pot and stirred until incorporated. (you can also substitute milk for the water, and/or add butter to make it even creamier). I served the chicken over a serving of this polenta.
When I made the Braised Chicken I only used about a quarter of the container of porcinis, so a few days later I decided to make the same sauce but instead of braising bone-in chicken I used 3 boneless chicken breasts. I followed the same recipe but just shredded the chicken breasts into the sauce at the end, and I substituted penne for the polenta. It was very tasty as well!
And finally last night, I saw an easy recipe on David Rocco's show Dolce Vita for Porcini Gnocchi. If you haven't seen his show before, you should really check it out. He travels through Italy and gives a few recipes each episode for Italian fare which are really simple and look very delizioso! I always figured gnocchi would be difficult to make, but in fact they are quite simple. Here is the recipe link for the Porcini Gnocchi I made. Buon appetito!
This is what they look like dried, but in order to use them in most recipes you need to soak them in hot water so that they return to a moist state. And thank goodness because this makes that awful smell dissipate into a more appetizing aroma!
The first recipe that I made using the dried porcini mushrooms was Braised Chicken with Pancetta. I made this along with some creamy polenta, which is made by boiling water with salt and slowly whisking in 1-1/2 cups of polenta. Then continue stirring so that no lumps form. Lower the heat and let it cook for 35-40 minutes stirring frequently until it starts to pull away from the pot. Then I grated about 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese into the pot and stirred until incorporated. (you can also substitute milk for the water, and/or add butter to make it even creamier). I served the chicken over a serving of this polenta.
And finally last night, I saw an easy recipe on David Rocco's show Dolce Vita for Porcini Gnocchi. If you haven't seen his show before, you should really check it out. He travels through Italy and gives a few recipes each episode for Italian fare which are really simple and look very delizioso! I always figured gnocchi would be difficult to make, but in fact they are quite simple. Here is the recipe link for the Porcini Gnocchi I made. Buon appetito!
So there ya have it! I ended up using the entire container of dried porcinis in one week! And after I first opened that container, I never thought I would! So don't be afraid. Once they soak in the water, they give a very woodsy, meaty flavor to whatever you are cooking. I'm a fan!
No comments :
Post a Comment