This recipe comes from the book Genius Recipes under the ultimate direction of Amanda Hesser. The cookbook is essential – if you have it you will use it constantly. And you will give it as a present to all your food friends who don’t already have it. It has an associated food channel on YouTube that features Editor Kristen Miglore, who is an excellent source of great ideas.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons softened butter
• 2 pounds of Portobello mushrooms sliced into ¼ inch slices
• 1 cup pearl onions
• ½ carrot, finely sliced
• 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
• I teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 cup of a full-bodied red wine
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 ½ tablespoon flour egg noodles, for serving
• Sour cream for garnish

Directions

In a heavy saucepan or Dutch oven, heat one tablespoon of the butter and one tablespoon of the oil over high heat. Add the mushrooms and the pearl onions and sear until they begin to take on some color, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove them from the pan and hold them in a bowl.

Lower the heat to medium. Add the second tablespoon of oil to the pan and add the carrot, diced onion, thyme, a few pinches of salt and grind some black pepper into the cooking vegetable. Cook for 10 minutes stirring occasionally until the onions are lightly browned. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute.

Add the wine to the pot, turn the heat up to high, and scrape the pan until all bits sticking to the bottom are released. Cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Stir in the tomato paste and the broth and add the mushrooms and onions along with any juice collected in that bowl. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

In a separate dish (or in your hands) combine the remaining tablespoon of softened butter and the tablespoon of flour into a ball. Add that to the stew. Simmer for 10 more minutes stirring to create a smooth texture. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

This can be served over polenta, egg noodles, rice, or potatoes. Dollop with the sour cream. You can replace the broth with beef or vegetable broth (the latter if you want a vegetarian version). On a personal note, I would avoid beef broth or bouillon. Not a good flavor. Find a market that produces its own veal broth, or make your own. Or, substitute chicken broth.