We made this creamy sauce as part of a family steak dinner and everyone just wanted to ditch the food and drink the sauce! Some of us (who shall remain nameless) even licked our plates clean. Yes — it really is THAT good!
PREP TIME: 20 minutes
COOK TIME: 25 minutes YIELD: 10–12 servings RECOMMENDED VARIETY: Black Garlic
INGREDIENTS
7 tablespoons unsalted butter*
1 small sweet onion, minced (about ½ cup)
6–9 cloves black garlic, softened*, peeled and minced
1 cup fresh oyster mushrooms or similar mushrooms of your choosing, chopped
3 cups baby portobello mushrooms (about 1 pound), wiped clean, stems removed, and sliced ¼-inch thick
½ cup cremini mushrooms, (about ½ pound), wiped clean, stems removed, and chopped (can substitute with white mushrooms)
½ cup fresh shiitake mushrooms, (about ½ pound), wiped clean, stems removed, and chopped (can substitute with dried)
½ teaspoon garlic powder or granulated garlic
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (can substitute 2 tablespoons dried)
1 cup chicken broth (can substitute with low-sodium chicken broth)
2 cups heavy cream*
1–2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes (optional if you want a little kick)
INSTRUCTIONS
In a Dutch oven or large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat until lightly browned.
Sauté onion until the onion is transparent, stirring occasionally, approximately 3 minutes.
Add black garlic and sauté one more minute to wake it up.
Add all mushrooms, garlic powder/granulated garlic, sea salt, white pepper, and thyme.
Cook until the mushrooms release moisture and liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally, approximately 10 minutes.
Add chicken broth then whisk in heavy cream.
Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to medium, simmering until sauce is thickened and reduced, approximately 10–12 minutes.
Remove from heat when sauce is a thick, creamy soup consistency.
Season with sea salt and more white pepper to taste.
Add crushed red pepper flakes if desired.
*TIPS
This recipe is easy to make vegetarian or vegan. Substitute a high quality, meltable vegan butter (like Mykonos) for the unsalted butter and plain, dairy-free whipping cream for the heavy cream.
Over time black garlic loses its moisture and chewiness, and may become tough to chop, slice or mince. If this is the case, it can be softened to make it more workable by boiling a cup of water then submerging whole cloves (either in or outside of their skin) in the water for 10 minutes until they soften enough to work with. Just be careful not to leave the cloves in hot water too much longer than 10 minutes, or you'll have a weak black garlic tea and kind of a mushy mess to dig through!
This recipe can be divided into three portions and frozen then substituted for three, 10-ounce cans of cream of mushroom soup concentrate.
This sauce is seriously, addictively delicious with a nicely done steak, but it's also great by itself over angel hair pasta!