Creamy Mushroom Sauce - For Steak Or Pasta | Greedy Gourmet

Question 1

How do you thicken mushroom sauce?

Accepted Answer

Lots of recipes will tell you to use cornstarch to thicken the sauce. There’s no doubt that cornstarch can be useful to get you out of trouble when you end up with a thin, watery sauce. Still, for me, there are far better options to thicken your sauce.

Arrowroot is an excellent natural thickener that will bring a beautiful gloss to your mushroom sauce.

If you’re used to using cornstarch, you’ll know how to use arrowroot – just add a teaspoon of arrowroot powder to a teaspoon of water to create a slurry.

Then add this to your mushroom sauce and stir your sauce until it thickens. If you need to, repeat the process until your mushroom sauce is the proper consistency.

If you can’t find arrowroot, there are plenty of great arrowroot substitutes out there.

Question 2

Why is my mushroom sauce pale in colour?

Accepted Answer

Proper mushroom sauce should have a soft brown colour. If you end up with an unappetising pale grey colour to your creamy mushroom sauce, chances are it’s because you’ve not browned your mushrooms enough.

When cooking your mushrooms, make sure you don’t cram the pan. Giving enough space in the pan allows the moisture to escape from the mushrooms, which helps them to brown well.

Also, make sure you fry your mushrooms on a high heat. If it’s not sizzling, it’s not hot enough.

Once you’ve browned your mushrooms properly, you’ll be ready to add cream to form your sauce.

Question 3

Why is my mushroom sauce lumpy?

Accepted Answer

If you add flour straight into your creamy mushroom sauce, you could end up with lumps. This is why you have to first make a slurry when adding flour at the end of a recipe, stirring equal amounts of powder and water together before adding it to the sauce.

If you do end up with lumpy sauce here’s a tip: first, strain the sauce into a deep pan. Then, add a splash of cold water. Then, with your sauce back on the heat, give it a good whisk until it reaches its desired consistency.

Question 4

What type of mushrooms can you use?

Accepted Answer

There are lots of different mushrooms you can use in this recipe. I’ve gone with the humble button mushroom, which is the most common and readily available. Feel free to switch things up a little bit and play with different types of mushrooms.

Here are some different types of mushrooms that would work well in this recipe:

Chestnut mushrooms – very similar to plain white button mushrooms, chestnut mushrooms are slightly brown in colour and have a better taste and texture than button mushrooms

Portobello mushrooms – these big meaty mushrooms are basically overgrown button mushrooms. Even though they’re much bigger and thicker than white button mushrooms, they still have a relatively mild flavour

Oyster mushrooms – although their appearance might put many people off, oyster mushrooms are actually pretty mild in taste. They’re slightly sweet and only a little more earthy than the likes of button and chestnut mushrooms

Porcini mushrooms – these mushrooms are typically used in Italian cooking. Their nutty creamy taste makes them a great mushroom to use in this creamy mushroom sauce

Chanterelle mushrooms – this mushrooms are characterised by their bright yellow colour, chanterelle mushroom have a wonderful peppery taste with a subtle sweetness

Shiitake mushrooms – big on flavour, shiitake mushrooms are common in Asian cooking. They bring a smoky, earthy, peppery flavour to dishes, perfect for this recipe

Question 5

Are mushrooms good for you?

Accepted Answer

Mushrooms are low-calorie, low-fat and are a great source of protein, fiber and antioxidants. They are also rich in vitamin B, copper and potassium, and can help reduce blood pressure while also helping to strengthen the immune system.

Mushrooms are also a great source of selenium, an essential mineral that helps cognitive function, supports the immune system and may also prevent certain types of cancer.

Question 6

What to serve with mushroom sauce

Accepted Answer

For me, something to mop up the rich creamy sauce is the perfect foil for this recipe. Try my savoury bread pudding with Parmigiano Reggiano for a great combo. Both recipes contain parmesan cheese, you expect an extra rich meal that will send your taste buds into overdrive!

Another great dish to serve with this creamy mushroom sauce is steak. Try a standard beef steak or, for a twist, make this venison steak recipe – just omit the blackberry sauce.

You could also serve them with steamed vegetables or mashed potatoes. Better yet, pour your creamy mushroom sauce over these parmentier potatoes, confit potatoes or rosemary potatoes.

Description

Ingredients

Instructions