Mushroom fricandó with cauliflower puree
It is axiomatic that the most important part of a stew is the sauce, which is why it cannot be understood without a good loaf of bread , some fried diced potatoes - they can also be boiled, mashed or roasted -, a bed of boiled rice or anything else that collects it, soaks it and gives it to us to enjoy it in all its splendor. The chopped or mashed dishes made from nuts, garlic and some herbs like parsley help to give them flavor and binding.
That's why this fricandó works perfectly, where I replaced the veal with some sliced oyster mushrooms - which could have been other ones -. As they need less cooking than the tougher meat, because in this case their connective tissue doesn't have to be softened, I removed them after the initial browning and returned them to the stew when it was almost ready. By releasing their own juices, and integrating them with a little movement, the sauce was perfect.
In this case, I accompanied it with a cauliflower puree , which I usually prepare with this brassica cooked in different ways. This time I simply steamed it because what I accompanied it with already tasted strong, but you can roast it in the oven or toast it in the air fryer if you are looking for a deeper flavor (for example, to accompany it with a poached egg) . I finished it off with some fried artichokes because they improve almost everything, and diced green apple because I like a fresh and crunchy contrast in this type of dish; but both things are optional.
Time: 45 minutes
Difficulty: Wait for the sofrito to cook
- 1 small cauliflower
- Salt
- Pepper
- Milk, vegetable drink, butter or olive oil to taste
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 onions
- 2 ripe tomatoes
- 200 ml of white wine
- 600 g mushrooms (I used cardoon, but you could use oyster or button mushrooms)
- A splash of brandy or cognac
- An ounce of chocolate with 70% cocoa (optional but recommended)
- Olive oil
- Salt
- 2 cloves of garlic
- Parsley to taste
- 20 grams of pine nuts (or almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts...)
Steam the cauliflower until it can be easily pierced with a skewer. Season with salt and pepper and blend with milk, vegetable drink, butter, oil or any emulsifier you like until you obtain a puree with the texture you like.
Peel and chop the tomato and onion. Peel and slice or chop the garlic.
Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper, brown them in a saucepan with a little oil and remove.
In the same oil over medium-low heat, make a sofrito by adding the garlic first and then, as soon as it starts to smell good, the onion. Add the tomato about 10 minutes later, when the onion is transparent, and increase the heat to medium.
When we have a concentrated sofrito, add the brandy and flambé (being careful not to burn yourself). Add the wine and let it reduce for seven to ten minutes over low heat.
After this time, add the chopped chocolate and let it cook for five more minutes.
Meanwhile, chop the garlic, parsley and pine nuts or selected nuts, leaving some whole for decoration.
Add the chopped mushrooms and whole nuts, stir and return the mushrooms to the stew. Cook everything together for about 10 minutes, stirring gently from time to time. Serve over the purée, if desired with a little parsley, fried artichokes, crunchy vegetable chips or diced green apple.
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