Mushroom Parmentier

soursugar's Note:

Antoine-Augustin Parmentier was a french scientist that promoted potatoes as a food source for humans in France and throughout Europe. Any dish that bares his name will be sure to contain a lot of potatoes. This dish is a vegetarian take on Hachis Parmentier which is basically a Shepherd's or Cottage Pie. I made this Mushroom Parmentier from a recipe I once saw on French food at Home on Food Network Canada. If you are a mushroom lover like I am you have to try it. It is rich, delicious and the mushrooms are tender and meaty.

• Total Time: 50 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 2 lbs mushrooms , any combination you like
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil , more as needed
• 1 large red onion , chopped
• 3 garlic cloves
• 3 -4 sprigs fresh thyme leaves , stems removed
• ½ cup red wine
• ½ cup vegetable stock or ½ cup water
• salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon flour
• ¼ cup fresh parsley , chopped

Potato Topping

• 6 medium floury potatoes , such as Yukon gold
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ¼ cup milk
• salt and pepper
• 4 ounces gruyere cheese , cut into very fine dice
• 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 425°F/220°C.
2. Clean and quarter the mushrooms. (Dice if using portabello).
3. Heat 2 of the tablespoons of the butter with one tablespoon of the olive oil and sauté the mushrooms until golden. Remove from pan.
4. Heat the other spoonful of olive oil (more if needed) and sauté the onion until soft. Add the garlic for one minute.
5. Deglaze with the wine and reduce to about a tablespoon.
6. Add the stock, thyme leaves and the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, cook until the stock has reduced by half.
7. Combine the flour with the last tablespoon of butter in a small dish and the stir it into the sauce. Cook until the liquid has thickened to a sauce, a matter of minutes. Stir in the parsley. Spoon the mixture into a gratin dish.
8. Potato Topping: Steam the potatoes in a covered saucepan with about an inch of water in the bottom, until very tender. Keep and eye on them or you will start to brown the bottom. This way of steaming the potatoes gives them a nice texture and flavour.
9. Mash the potatoes with the butter and milk until very smooth, adding more milk if needed.
10. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the Gruyere cheese.
11. Spread over the mushroom mixture, smooth with the back of a spoon.
12. Sprinkle over the Parmesan.
13. Bake until golden on top, about 15 minutes.