Mushroom Bourguignon

There is an adorable French restaurant near my apartment in DC that serves the best beef bourguignon I have ever had. When my mom gave me the new Smitten Kitchen cookbook for Christamas, I was immediately drawn to the mushroom bourguignon recipe. Having made it for the first time last night, I can say with confidence that this dish is just as good (if not better) without the beef. Be aware that it calls for 2 pounds of mushrooms, so you need to use a large pan!

Mushroom Bourguignon
(courtsey of The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by Deb Perelman)

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 lbs portobello mushrooms
1 cup thawed pearl onions
1/2 carrot, finely diced
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup full bodied red wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups beef broth
1 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour
Egg noodles, for serving
Sour cream and chopped chives for garnish

Directions
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy pan on high heat. Sear the mushrooms and pearl onions until they begin to take on a little color (3-4 minutes). Remove the mushrooms and onions and set aside.

Lower the flame to medium and add the second tablespoon of olive oil. Toss the carrot, onion, thyme, some salt and pepper in the pan and cook for 5 minutes until the onion is beginning to brown. Add the garlic and cook one more minute; season again with salt and pepper.

Add the wine to the pot, scraping any brown bits from the bottom. Turn the heat all the way up and reduce the liquid by half (this will take 4-5 minutes). Stir in the tomato paste and the stock. Add back the mushrooms and pearl onions and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the temperature and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Combine the flour and the remaining better with a fork and stir this into the stew. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 more minutes. If the sauce is too thin, boil it down to reduce to a "coating" consistency.

Serve over egg noodles and garnish with sour cream and chives. Enjoy!