I have a bucket list of New Year’s resolutions this year. Resolution #1, “EAT MORE VEGGIES and less meat”. This is going to be EASY and I am going to be a BOSS and slay this resolution. Why? Recipes like Smitten Kitchen’s Mushroom Bourguignon, that’s why.  It’s hearty, warming, a great stand-in for stews and it takes a fraction of the time to make as it doesn’t contain any meat.  I have been eyeing this recipe for quite awhile so with the cooler weather and my new year’s resolution it was definitely “fun”-ghi time.

I decided to serve the mushrooms over a bed of creamy polenta, others have opted for noodles which looks equally delicious.  I’m a sucker for polenta or grits. When I was a kid I was a Cream of Wheat/Malto-meal fan whereas the rest of my family fell into the Quaker Oats oatmeal camp.  It’s a textural thing I guess, that and I loved the Cream of Wheat commercials, “Come in from the Cold”.

I used cremini mushrooms although I think a mushroom medley would work beautifully.  Next time I make this dish I think I’ll throw in shiitake mushrooms and portabellos to give it a meatier taste and texture.  Not being a strict vegetarian I opted for beef broth for the stock but feel free to use a vegetable broth. I’m also wondering if a little fish sauce (thank you Kenji Alt-Lopez) would up the umami factor for us omnivores.  I will let you know!

So 2018 resolution #1 gets a running start thanks to Smitten Kitchen’s Mushroom Bourguignon.  Next on my list? Cauliflower Steak and Puree from Genius Recipe.  Let the Veggie Times Roll.

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(Mushroom Bourguignon) New Year’s Resolutions

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons 30 ml olive oil
• 2 tablespoons 30 grams butter, softened
• 2 pounds 905 grams Portobello mushrooms, in 1/4-inch slices (you can use cremini instead or a medley of mushrooms)
• 1 cup 115 grams pearl onions, peeled (thawed if frozen)
• 1/2 carrot finely diced
• 1 small yellow onion finely diced
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• Table salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 cup 235 ml full-bodied red wine
• 2 tablespoons 35 grams tomato paste
• 2 cups 475 ml beef or vegetable stock (beef broth is traditional, but use vegetable to make it vegetarian; the dish works with either)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons 12 grams all-purpose flour
• Egg noodles for serving also goes well with polenta or grits
• Sour cream and chopped chives or parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions

• 1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a medium-sized Dutch oven or heavy saucepan over high heat. Sear the mushrooms and pearl onions until they begin to take on a little color— your mushrooms will make a delightful “squeak- squeak” as they’re pushed around the hot pan— but the mushrooms do not yet release any liquid, about 3 or 4 minutes. Remove mushrooms and onions from the pan and set aside.
• 2. Lower the flame to medium, and add the second tablespoon of olive oil. Toss the carrot, onion, thyme, a few good pinches of salt, and several grinds of black pepper in the pan, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is lightly browned. Add the garlic, and cook for just 1 more minute. Season with more salt and pepper.
• 3. Add the wine to the pot, scraping any stuck bits off the bottom, then turn the heat all the way up and reduce it by half, which will take about 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and the stock. Add back the mushrooms and pearl onions with any juices that have collected, and bring the mixture to a boil; reduce the temperature so it simmers for 10 to 15 minutes, or until both the mushrooms and onions are very tender.
• 4. Combine the flour and the remaining butter with a fork; stir this into the stew. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Lower the heat, and simmer for 10 more minutes. If the sauce is too thin, boil it down to reduce to a “coating” consistency. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
• 5. To serve, spoon the stew over a bowl of egg noodles (polenta or grits would work well), dollop with sour cream, if using, and sprinkle with optional chives or parsley.
• Do ahead: The mushroom stew reheats very well on the second and third days, in a large saucepan over low heat.