Creamy Mushrooms

Throughout the years there were several dishes that culminated in the Athenian culinary scene. One such dish was Mushrooms a la Crème. During the 80’s and 90’s every restaurant that respected itself, included in its menu this particular dish as an appetizer. It was really very famous and if one observed carefully in a restaurant full of people, he would notice that in almost every table there was at least one portion of it.

As I was in my 20’s during that period of time, I regularly went out with friends and, let me tell you, I have tried innumerable versions and executions. Some of them were delicious, many of them were mediocre and some were absolutely blunt and horrible. I always wondered how can a professional go wrong in such an easy dish and thought that one must be really clumsy to be able to mess up with it.

Creamy Mushrooms

Mushrooms are in this earth long before mankind. Actually, last year scientists traced what they characterized the most ancient mushroom fossil that is 115 million years old no less. Up until that time the oldest mushroom fossil was of 99 million years old and was found in southeastern Asia.

Scientists from the university of Illinois consider this to be an exquisite event, because usually mushrooms have a very brief life of just a few days. The fact that that mushroom had to overcome all these obstacles and be able to become a fossil it is a small miracle by itself. This really, really old mushroom was found in Brazil and shows how old these little fungi are.

Creamy Mushrooms

Mushrooms were on this earth even before plants and in fact they helped the latter’s transition from sea to land. Mushrooms offered them water and several nutritional ingredients and plants gave mushrooms sugars necessary for their growth.

I love mushrooms of all types and I try to sneak them as many times as possible in my cooking. I always keep dried ones in my pantry that can be ready in minutes. A few days ago, we went to a restaurant and as I opened the menu, oh what a surprise, I saw mushrooms a la crème in the appetizers. I ordered them, and they were really good. I guess after all these years they eventually learned how to properly make them.

When I got back home, I made a note in my mind to try and recreate it at home. It is a very easy dish and so fast to make it. I love the creaminess of the sauce and the garlic aftertaste. We all enjoyed it and my son asked me to make it again next weekend. You can also add it as a sauce to any meat you make. It pairs perfectly.

Creamy Mushrooms

 

5.0 from 4 reviews
Creamy Garlicky Mushrooms
 
Author/ Συγγραφέας:
Recipe type/ Τύπος Πιάτου: Appetizer
Ingredients/ Συστατικά
  • 250 gr. white button mushrooms, cleaned and cut in slices
  • 1 to 2 garlic cloves depending how strong you want the taste of garlic
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 200 ml heavy or light cream
  • Salt, pepper
  • 2 tbsp chopped parsley
Instructions/ Εκτέλεση
  1. In a pan pour couple of tbsp of olive oil and in medium heat sauté the garlic until fragrant about a minute.
  2. Add the mushrooms and sauté until they are soft.
  3. Pour the wine and continue to sauté until it loses ⅔ of its volume.
  4. Add the cream, salt and pepper to taste and reduce fire to medium/low.
  5. Let boil gently until it thickens.
  6. Add parsley and serve.

 
5.0 from 4 reviews
Μανιτάρια α λα Κρεμ
 
Author/ Συγγραφέας:
Recipe type/ Τύπος Πιάτου: Ορεκτικό
Ingredients/ Συστατικά
  • 250 γρ. μανιτάρια, καθαρισμένα και κομμένα σε φέτες
  • 1 έως 2 σκελίδες σκόρδο ανάλογα πόσο ισχυρή θέλετε τη γεύση του σκόρδου
  • ½ φλ. ξηρό λευκό κρασί
  • 200 ml κρέμα γάλακτος μπορείτε να βάλετε και light
  • Αλάτι, πιπέρι
  • 2 κ.σ. ψιλοκομμένο μαϊντανό
Instructions/ Εκτέλεση
  1. Σε ένα τηγάνι ρίχνουμε μερικές κουταλιές της σούπας ελαιόλαδο και σε μέτρια φωτιά σοτάρουμε το σκόρδο μέχρι να αρχίζει να μυρίζει περίπου ένα λεπτό.
  2. Προσθέτουμε τα μανιτάρια και σοτάρουμε μέχρι να μαλακώσουν.
  3. Ρίχνουμε το κρασί και συνεχίζουμε να σοτάρουμε μέχρι να χάσει τα ⅔ του όγκου του.
  4. Προσθέτουμε την κρέμα, αλατοπιπερώνουμε και μειώνουμε τη φωτιά σε μέτρια/χαμηλή.
  5. Αφήνουμε να βράσει σιγά μέχρι να πήξει λίγο.
  6. Προσθέστε το μαϊντανό και σερβίρετε.