December. Absolutely my favorite month of the year (well that and June, my birthday month). Love everything about it and the cold weather too. Just more reasons to bake and cook, as if I needed anymore. And that brings me to: confit n. a piece of meat cooked in its own fat. The Levantine version of confit is made with lamb and is called Awerma (more on that in an upcoming post). It doesn't always have to be meat based, which brings me to the subject of this post: Mushrooms. I've been tweaking this recipe for a couple of weeks now, and I finally got it! If you try anything from this site, I really want you to try this one.
Mushroom confit has been around for a while. In essence we gently roast the mushrooms in oil until soft and tender, then drain them and do whatever you like with them. It's yummy and as flavorful as the mushrooms you choose for it. It can be any one kind or a variety. Have fun with it.
Now I'm off to start prepping for a holiday baking weekend. Happy Friday!
Preheat oven to 275˚F. In a cast iron pan (or heavy bottom pan), melt butter and oil. Add mushrooms, bay leaves, marjoram, garlic and salt. Cover and roast for approx. one hour to an hour and a half, until mushroom are tender and soft. Remove from oven, drain mushrooms in a strainer and set aside. Save the infused oil. It is absolutely phenomenal to use in other recipes. Discard the herbs and bay leaves and save the garlic for the next step.
For the squash. Cut in half, wrap in foil. Place in the oven with the confit and remove when tender to touch. It will roast slowly. Or roast it ahead of time in a 400˚F oven for about 30 minutes. Once done, let cool a bit, remove flesh gently and separate with fork. Set aside.
*Herbs in Duxelle is a spice mixture available here. If you live in Raleigh, NC, you must visit the shop at LaFayette Village.
In a skillet, heat infused oil, add garlic and smash with the back of a spoon. Add shallots and pine nuts. Saute until shallots are translucent. Add raisin paste, vegetable stock, mushrooms, salt and pepper and whisk together to melt the paste into the liquid. Add herbs in Duxelle spice mixture, and simmer gently for a few minutes just until the sauce thickens a bit. Remove from heat. Finish with lemon juice and chopped parsley. Serve over roasted spaghetti squash, rice or pasta.
In a small blender or processor, blend together until a paste forms.
This dish is all about the chanterelles...love mushroooms!
Anita, you always create the most amazing dishes. This dish with chanterelles is no exception + it's so beautifully photographed!