Roasted Mushrooms with Thyme Cream and Aged Balsamic
Delicious with just button mushrooms if those are all that’s available, this recipe will be even better with a variety of mushrooms—which might include shiitake, oyster, chanterelle, and/or morel. At Larch this is served as an appetizer.
Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 1 pound assorted mushrooms, trimmed and brushed clean
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons honey
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Aged balsamic vinegar, for serving
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Halve or quarter the mushrooms as needed, depending on their size, so they are in roughly even pieces for even cooking. Make the Thyme Cream, below, and set aside to reheat just before serving.
- In an oven-safe skillet, heat the butter and oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté until beginning to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Drizzle the honey over and season the mushrooms with salt and pepper. Put the skillet in the oven and roast until the mushrooms are tender, aromatic, and lightly browned, about 8 minutes, carefully stirring once halfway through.
Thyme Cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
- 4 to 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Pinch freshly ground nutmeg
- Pinch freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt, to taste
Directions
- Combine the stock and thyme sprigs in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until the stock is reduced to a few tablespoons, about 10 minutes.
- Add the cream, nutmeg, and pepper and simmer until the cream is reduced by about half, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk occasionally and take care to avoid the cream boiling over; reduce the heat if needed.
- Strain the mixture and return it to the saucepan. Return the liquid to a boil, whisk in the Parmesan cheese, and take the pan from the heat. Taste the sauce, adding salt if needed. Set the pan aside and reheat gently just before serving.
- To serve, spoon the warm thyme cream sauce on individual plates. Spoon the roasted mushrooms over and drizzle with aged balsamic vinegar.
