Wild Mushroom Cartoccio Recipes

WILD MUSHROOM CARTOCCIO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F for 30 minutes (425 degrees F for convection ovens). Lay a large piece of parchment paper atop a large piece of aluminum foil. (The dimensions should be about 24" long by 16" wide.) Spread the softened butter on the parchment, making sure to leave a 1½-inch border, and set aside. Combine the spring onions, thyme, garlic, bay leaves, and mushrooms in a bowl. Add the olive oil, a pinch of lemon zest, and toss well. Season with the salt and toss again.
• Spread the mushroom mixture out evenly over one side of the parchment-foil. Fold the other half of the foil and parchment over the mixture. (You may need to remove some excess mixture if it is too crowded and make a second cartoccio.) Starting on one end, crimp the edges closed, folding over in pleats. Leave a 2-inch gap on the other end and add the stock through that hole. Make sure the stock is poured evenly so that you will be able to seal the cartoccio. Seal the cartoccio by folding/crimping; if it is not sealed properly, it won't expand. It should look like a half moon, with the foil on top and the parchment in the center enclosing the mushrooms. Place the cartoccio on a flat baking sheet or in a gratin dish and place it in the oven for 15 minutes if using a convection oven, 20 minutes if using a conventional oven. The cartoccio should expand and look like a small Zeppelin.
• Remove the bag from the oven and cut it open using kitchen scissors or chef's knife (be careful to avoid being burned by the hot steam). Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of salt, and lemon juice to taste. Plate the mushrooms, pour the jus on top, and serve alongside bread, pasta, fish, or on its own.

PORCINI MUSHROOMS WITH BEANS 'AL CARTOCCIO'

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. (160 degrees C.).
• Place the beans in a large saucepan with plenty of water and allow to simmer for 2 hours along with the peeled tomatoes, sage, rosemary, garlic, pepper and chili powder. Add salt once the beans are cooked.
• Gently wash the mushroom caps with running water, protecting them with your hands so as to prevent them absorbing too much of the water.
• Place the mushrooms on a sheet of aluminum foil on a baking tray. Slice the garlic and gently insert each piece into the mushroom caps. Sprinkle the chopped nipitella over the mushrooms and add salt, pepper and a generous dash of olive oil.
• Wrap the mushrooms in the aluminum foil, carefully ensuring all the edges are sealed and place on a baking tray in a shallow bath of water. This is now ready to be cooked 'bain marie' style for 20 minutes.
• Once the mushrooms are cooked, assemble them onto a plate with two large tablespoons of the cooked beans and some small shavings of crusty bread. Drizzle with olive oil and serve the dish piping hot.

CREAMY WILD MUSHROOM RAGOUT

Steps:

• Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in mushrooms with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until any liquid evaporates and mushrooms are light brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add 1/2 tablespoon butter and shallots; cook, stirring, until mushrooms are caramelized and almost tender, about 10 minutes.
• Drizzle in Cognac and vinegar; cook until liquid evaporates, 1 minute. Stir in creme fraiche.
• Stir in chicken broth, marjoram, and salt and black pepper to taste. Reduce heat to medium-low, cook until slightly thickened and mushrooms are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.