Recipe: Braised Shallots and Fall Vegetables with Red Wine Sauce

BRAISED SHALLOTS AND FALL VEGETABLES WITH RED WINE SAUCE

"This recipe is lengthy, so you should begin with the Red Wine Sauce (below). While that's simmering, you can clean and prep the vegetables."

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
20 large (about 2 pounds) shallots, peeled and separated
6 (about 3/4 pound) carrots, cut into 2-inch thick pieces
2 1/2 cups (about 1/3 pound) quartered mushrooms
4 large parsnips, quartered lengthwise
Red Wine Sauce (recipe follows)
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh (or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary)
2 bay leaves
2 thyme sprigs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
FOR THE GARNISH:
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 garlic clove, minced

Heat butter and oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add shallots and carrots; saute for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add mushrooms and parsnips; saute 10 minutes.

Add 1 cup Red Wine Sauce, rosemary, bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs.

Drizzle vegetables with the remaining Red Wine Sauce. Combine parsley and garlic in a small bowl; sprinkle over each serving.

RED WINE SAUCE

4 cups boiling water
1/3 cup (about 1/2 ounce) dried porcini mushrooms (about 1/2 ounce)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups diced carrot
1 1/2 cups quartered button mushrooms
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced celery
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 (2-inch) rosemary sprig
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups Merlot or other dry red wine
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon butter

Combine boiling water and porcini, and set aside.

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat; add the carrot and next 8 ingredients (carrot through rosemary). Cook 30 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently.

Stir in the tomato paste, flour, salt, and black pepper; cook for 1 minute. Stir in porcini mixture and wine, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes.

Strain through a colander into a large bowl. Drain well, pressing the vegetable mixture with the back of a spoon to remove as much sauce as possible. Return sauce to pan, discarding the solids. Bring to a boil, and cook until reduced to 2 1/2 cups (about 5 minutes). Stir in soy sauce and butter.

Makes 6 servings
Source: Deborah Madison in Cooking Light magazine, November 2000