Mushroom Stew

I love mushrooms. They are way up there on my list of favorite foods, up there with lobster sandwiches, roasted brussels sprouts, and hanger steak. I love them prepared in all sorts of ways: cooked slowly in butter, stirred in risotto, grilled. This preparation is probably my favorite, since it allows me to make a complete meal of mushrooms. I recently served it, with egg noodles, at a vegetarian dinner party, and it was a hit.

Mushroom Stew (adapted from Smitten Kitchen's Mushroom Bourguignon and my dad's beef stew)

Serves 4 or 5 as a main dish, or 8 as a first course.

2-3 lbs portobello mushrooms (if I have other mushrooms in the fridge, such a shiitake, I throw them in as well), sliced thickish (about 1/2"), stems removed
2-3 large carrots, diced
1 large yellow onion, or a handful of shallots, minced
1 celery rib, diced
3 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
1-2 cups pearl onions, peeled
1 cup of red wine
2 cups of broth (beef, chicken and vegetable all work)
2 tablespoons sundried tomato paste (or regular tomato paste)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 and 1/2 tablespoons flour
a few sprigs of thyme
salt and pepper

1. Heat a large high sided skillet or a dutch oven over high heat, and add two tablespoons of olive oil. Sear mushrooms on both sides (about a minute or two per side). You don't want them to release any liquid, but to just brown. Remove and set aside.

2. Add the third tablespoon of olive oil to the pot, and cook the onion, celery, carrots, and thyme. Once the onions are translucent, add the garlic and cook for another minute or so.

3. Add the wine to the pot and scrape to deglaze. Bring it to a boil and let it reduce by about half. Then add the broth, bring it to a boil again, and lower the heat. Simmer for 25-30 minutes, adding the pearl onions at the 20 minute mark.

4. Melt the butter and mix in the flour with a fork to form a paste. Mix the paste into the stew, and simmer until it reaches desired thickness (I'm usually satisfied at 8-12 minutes).

Serve over egg noodles or mashed potatoes.