In some circles it was mentioned that this past Monday was “The Day of the Mushroom”. To honor this day, Meatless Monday, and my personal love of mushrooms I made Mushroom Stroganoff for dinner.
A former co-worker of mine had a favorite joke: A mushroom walks into a bar. The bartender says, “we don’t serve your type here.” The mushroom replies, “Why not? I’m a fungi (fun guy).”
Yes, mushrooms are not a vegetable they are in the fungus family. I hope I didn’t just ruin your love for mushrooms. If I did, don’t look up cheese, truffles, or yeast.
Having an especially picky eater in the house I knew this was a gamble dish. Daughter Number Three doesn’t even like vegetables; she certainly doesn’t like mushrooms. She always picks them out and sets them at the edge of her plate. This was going to be quite a task since the main focus of the Mushroom Stroganoff was mushrooms. In fact, I added two types of mushrooms; cremini and button.
As a last minute decision I did serve some grilled chicken breast, as a side to the Mushroom Stroganoff. That was likely a good call. The Hubs and D4 both liked the stroganoff, but it seemed to lack the substance (aka meat) they thought they wanted. Daughter Number 3 actually admitted that the flavor of the stroganoff was delicious. That was a win. I noticed The Hubs picked up about a quarter of a cup of mushrooms off her plate and ate them.
To round off the meal I served a salad of fresh greens, topped with some homemade croutons. Additionally I served some mixed peas and carrots.
Although I loved the Mushroom Stroganoff I don’t think I will make it as a main dish again. While it was at least a moderate success for everyone at the table it did not satisfy the family.
If you are looking for a good dish for a vegetarian main, I recommend it, though. The cremini’s are an excellent substitute for the flavor of meat.
Mushroom Stroganoff
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons white onion (diced)
- 2 pounds fresh mushrooms (sliced, mixed variety)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ cup white wine
- 1 cup no-chicken broth
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley (more for garnish)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 pound cooked egg noodles
- In a saucepan over medium heat melt the butter. Add the onions and sauté until translucent.
- Add mushrooms and cook until soft and most of their liquid has been released, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.
- Add the flour and stir to incorporate. Stir in the wine and broth. Cook for 2-3 minutes, continuing to stir.
- Remove from the heat and stir in sour cream. Add the parsley, salt, and pepper.
- Place cooked and drained egg noodles into a serving bowl. Pour cooked sauce over noodles and toss to combine.
- Garnish with additional parsley and serve immediately.