Forest Mushroom Stroganoff

Chef Ron lives in Oregon, where he sources ingredients and makes his delicious vegetable broth. Also found in Oregon is an abundance of mushrooms every year. Every fall (since he was 3), you will find Ron’s son tromping through the forest to pick chanterelles, lobster morrells, and even truffles. For this vegan Mushroom Stroganoff, Ron likes to use chanterelles (courtesy of his son), but any mushrooms will be great. If you eat solely plant-based, this is a great recipe to make use of ingredients you likely already have in your pantry!

INGREDIENTS

• 3 to 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 large leeks, whites only, diced then washed in a bowl of water, drained and patted dry (leeks can have a lot of sand in them)
• 20 ounces mushrooms, cleaned with a dry kitchen towel, sliced
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped fine
• Kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups Super Mineral Broth Original or vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour (unbleached)
• ½ cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
• 1 (13.5 ounce) can of full-fat coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 12 ounces pappardelle or fettuccini
• ¼ cup fresh dill, chopped fine
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Heat a large pot or a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add HALF of the leeks and mushrooms. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes until mushrooms are nicely browned, stirring occasionally but not too frequently.
2. Reduce the heat to medium and add HALF of the garlic, HALF of the thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt. Cook for 2-4 minutes, or until the mushrooms are browned and crispy. When done cooking, transfer this batch to a plate or bowl. Repeat the process with the remaining oil, mushrooms, leeks, garlic, thyme, and salt.
3. While the mushrooms are cooking, make the “vegetable broth roux.” In a medium bowl, whisk together the vegetable broth, tamari, Worcestershire sauce (if using), and flour in. Whisk until no clumps remain.
4. Pour the white wine into the pan with the cooked mushrooms and use a wooden spoon or flat-ended spatula to deglaze the pan by scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat as needed to simmer for 3 minutes, or until the smell of alcohol has dissipated and the wine has mostly evaporated.
5. Pour the vegetable broth roux into the pan and whisk to combine, ensuring there are no clumps. Bring to a simmer, then pour in the coconut milk, tahini, nutritional yeast, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and paprika. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Cook for 10 minutes, until the sauce is thickened and very creamy.
6. Meanwhile, cook the pasta. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and keep warm.
7. Stir the Dijon mustard into the stroganoff sauce and stir. Add the hot cooked pasta and chopped dill (or parsley) and toss to coat.
8. Divide the pasta among plates or bowls, and top each with a handful of the first batch of crispy mushrooms and extra dill (or parsley) to garnish.