Duxelles, a photo essay

[andiesenji]

To answer several questions. I squeeze the moisture out of the mushrooms because that way they sauté better and sort of carmelize rather than stewing because of excess moisture that they release as soon as they are heated. I try to keep the moisture to a minimum early in the process, it gives a much richer result.

You can reduce the flour if you don't like the way yours turned out. You can even omit it entirely but it takes a lot more time for the final reduction to get to the proper consistency.

It can be frozen but you have to put it in something like a ziploc bag and get all the air out, then double bag it, otherwise ice crystals will form in it.

I have added glace de viande, glace de gibier, etc.

I have also layered it with onion confit in terrines with foie gras and forcemeat.

[Shalmanese]

Oh, you didn't make that clear, I dumped in the moisture as soon as I was worried that caremalisation was about to occur because I thought that was unwanted :P. The mushrooms did seem softer than would have imagined, I was expecting chewy lumps.

[Abra]

Gorgeous, Andie! That's a very tasty-looking recipe too, and I can't wait to give it a try. Have you ever added a few shiitakes? Or do the criminis have enough mushroom flavor for you?

Edited January 15, 2005 by Abra (log)

[andiesenji]

Oh, you didn't make that clear, I dumped in the moisture as soon as I was worried that caremalisation was about to occur because I thought that was unwanted :P. The mushrooms did seem softer than would have imagined, I was expecting chewy lumps.

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Chewy lumps are not the result you want. It should be like a paste.

Removing the liquid allows the mushrooms to carmelize and develop more flavor.

My instructions say to add the mushroom water just prior to adding the Port.

I have found that adding it at this point results in the best flavor.

I have been making this stuff for decades and have fiddled around with the recipe and method until I got it the way I like it.

If you like it slightly different, you can alter it to suit your taste. It is infinitely adaptable.

Edited January 15, 2005 by andiesenji (log)

[andiesenji]

Gorgeous, Andie!  That's a very tasty-looking recipe too, and I can't wait to give it a try.  Have you ever added a few shiitakes?  Or do the criminis have enough mushroom flavor for you?

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I have used all kinds of mushrooms. This is the basic recipe that works well by itself or with meats, fowl, etc.

Stronger flavored mushrooms give a stronger-flavored result and stand well on their own.

Some of my friends love the one I make with Porcini and spread on the bread I float on top of onion soup before adding the cheese and putting it under the grill.

The Porcini seems to have a special affinity for cheeses of all types.

If you make focaccia, this is good combined with onion confit and a fairly strong cheese, such as asiago.

Edited January 15, 2005 by andiesenji (log)

[legourmet]

Gorgeous, Andie!  That's a very tasty-looking recipe too, and I can't wait to give it a try.  Have you ever added a few shiitakes?  Or do the criminis have enough mushroom flavor for you?

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I do "duxelles sèche" just with shallots, butter, 1/2 the value button mushrooms and 1/2 the value oyster mushrooms, a little lemon juice (to avoid oxidization), salt and pepper and chopped parsley at the end of the cooking process. I use it generally for stuffings. To stuff vegetables I add "mie de pain" butter, tomato-puree and white wine to the duxelles sèche et voila "duxelles pour légumes farcis". For Tartlets I add "farce mousseline" or "farce de gibier" or "farce mousseline de poisson" or finely diced cooked ham to the "duelles sèche" et voila "duxelles pour tartelletes farcies"

[Anna N]

Followed your photo-essay instructions almost to a T (did not have Herbes de Provence). I used some thyme and a little oregano but it turned out just great. I had some on toast for breakfast this morning and it is so "mushroomy". Going to freeze some and serve it next weekend as an appetizer. Will make some buckwheat blinis and serve with sour cream and mushroom "caviar". Many thanks.

[andiesenji]

The seasonings can be anything that suits your taste.

The way I was taught to do it originally called only for tarragon, salt and pepper. But that always tasted a bit "flat" to me, and I tried adding additional herbs and some spices and substituting others and finally settled on the herbes de Provence as an all-round solution.

One of my friends adds some mild chiles and cumin to it because that is the way he likes it.

It is very versatile and you can make it a personal thing by "customizing" it to a particular season or to accompany a particular food.

It is fun to experiment.

[M. Lucia]

Wonderful, Andie. Thanks you for sharing.

My mom used to make something she called mushroom duxelles. It was mushrooms stuffed with a crimini, shallot, herb, white wine mixture, long cooked. The mixture was similar to what andie showed but much more chunky. Then she mixed it with some breadcrumbs, topped with some cheese and put them under the broiler (or something like that). I am wondering if duxelles sometimes comes in a more chunky version, or if this was just some sort of appropriation of the term?

Edited January 17, 2005 by M. Lucia (log)