Shiitake mushrooms are wonderful for making a very flavorful gravy. Make
the mushroom gravy by soaking the mushrooms, then pouring the iquid
through cheesecloth tro strain out the hard sandy bits, then cut the stems
off. Simmer the stems in the soaking liquid until it's very very dark,
then strain the liquid again. Simmer the caps (whole or slices, as you
wish) in the liquid until tender, then put them off to the side.
Make a fat free roux, and whisk in the mushroom stock, just as you would
for a regular gravy. I don't know the ratio, since I always use a little
oil, but I've seen recipes for it here. The only difference between how
you make this and that is that you use the intensely flavored mushroom
stock instead of water or broth, and add in the mushrooms at the end.
For Thanksgiving, I "sauteed" slallots, garlic and the simmered mushrooms
(I also used porcinis and portobellos) and made the gravy for the whole
omni family with that... and everyone loved it!!! (Except for my husband
who won't eat "fungus" -- and that's his own problem! <G>)
-Sandra Mort
ICQ#4340088/IM:SandraMort
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