Divine Mushroom Stew

You can use this mushroom mixture on a lot of different dishes. Don’t forget your grilled burgers. Who needs a bun when you have this delicious topping!! There are many mushrooms you could use like shitake, cremini and a mixture of wild mushrooms. Use the ones you love.

Makes 4 cups 2 Points per serving

½ tablespoon Olive oil

1 medium onion, minced or sliced

4 to 6 cloves minced garlic

¾ pound Portobello mushrooms, sliced 1” long 1/8” thick

1 pound fresh white mushrooms, sliced 1/8”

1 cup red wine

2 cups vegetable broth (2 teaspoons vege paste to 2 cups water)

1 cup chicken broth. If vegetarian use vegetable broth

You can also use beef broth if you prefer.

2 teaspoon thyme, fresh or 1 teaspoon dried

2 teaspoons rosemary, fresh or 1 teaspoon dried, crush well

salt and pepper to taste

Prep all the ingredients. Slice the white mushrooms, clean out the gills on the portobellos, otherwise your mixture will be really dark, almost black. Yuk! See the photo below on this technique.

Be sure you use a large 14” is best, but you could use 12” also. Cast iron is best, then stainless steel, then a non-stick. You need a large skillet for the mushrooms to sauté and not steam.

Heat the oil in the skillet. . Add onions and garlic. Cook over medium heat until they start to brown. THIS TAKES ABOUT 10 MINUTES. Keep stirring until they are browned. If you walk away,the garlic, for sure will burn.

ADD the mushrooms, mix and sauté for 5 to 10 minutes. The mushrooms need the time to release their liquid. You don’t have to stir all the time but don’t walk away. When the mushrooms have a little brown to them add the wine and vegetable/chicken broths, stir and cook until it comes to a simmer. Cook until half of the liquid cooks down. This will take between 5 and 10 minutes. This makes the mushrooms “al dente”. I like to cook them only to this point for the “chew” quality. If you like them softer, continuing cooking. Don’t overcook or they will be spongy.

The mushrooms are great over a baked potato, meat, chicken or even pasta.

If you are using the next day, you will have to add more liquid when you reheat them.

The Vegetable Paste as shown is a good brand. I find it in all the local grocery stores. They have chicken, beef, Pork, Mushroom, Crab bases. Some stores only carry the beef and chicken. Trader Joes carries chicken, beef, vegetarian. Smart and Final carries more flavors. I usually get the Mushroom one in Los Angeles.

Serve the Mushroom Stew over a sweet potato (as shown), add a dinner salad and you have dinner. 2 points (3/4 cup) for mushrooms, 3 points for potato (if using 10 oz) plus 2 points for the salad dressing. I found that half of a large potato was sufficient to satisfy me.

I’ve served it over pasta, chicken, pork chop, burgers. Great addition.