The calendar says March, but a hefty new snow and temps
falling to zero assure me that we’re still in winter. And I’m still dutifully making winter soups. I’m still getting oyster mushrooms from
Greg at Claybank Farms every couple of weeks, too. Sometimes I have a plan for them when I buy them, sometimes
I don’t. I’ve found it’s nice,
though, to have a fallback recipe for these gems when I don’t know what else to
do with them. My latest fallback
recipe might be one of my all-time favorites, and so very easy to do. You don’t need local oyster mushrooms,
but if you’ve got a mix of cremini (mini-portabella), white mushrooms, and/or
any wild mushrooms, use any and all!
I make sure I have at least a pound of mushrooms to start with, and more
if I have them.
I start by breaking up and browning a pound of bulk Italian
sausage from Triple S. You can use
any bulk Italian sausage, including turkey sausage removed from the
casings. If your sausage is mildly
spiced, you can always add some red pepper flakes to give this recipe a kick
and some added warmth when it’s really nippy outside.
I add a bunch of chopped onion (at least a cup) and some
minced garlic (at least four cloves).
If you want to drain the sausage before adding the onion, do so, but
make sure to leave some to cook the veggies and bind with flour added later for
thickening. Cook the onions and
garlic until almost translucent, then add in the mushrooms. When the mushrooms are starting to
soften and steam, add enough flour to soak up the liquid released, and cook the
clumpy mess for a couple of minutes to make sure the flour has been thoroughly
combined with the liquid; I usually start with a quarter cup, then add more if
necessary. Add a healthy teaspoon
of dried thyme, a tablespoon if you have fresh. Pour in at least four cups of chicken stock or veggie broth
and stir until the clumps disappear.
Since those cartons of grocery store stock are usually four cups, I put
in a whole carton, then add a cup or so of water, or part of a carton left over
from something else. I bring it to
a boil, then simmer until my family starts whining that they’re hungry, usually
about 20-30 minutes. Of course, if you wanted to be super healthy, you could
add a few diced carrots or some chopped kale from Blue Moon before bringing it
to a boil. You could throw in
leftover rice, if you have some, or pretty much any pasta. For a really rich treat, add some half
and half at the end. None of these is necessary, though; no one will go hungry
if you stick to the simple version.
Crusty baguette, goat cheese, and a simple salad of greens (also from
Claybank!) in vinaigrette round out this hearty meal.
Take that, Old Man Winter!
