Mushroom Bourguignon

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp butter 
• 4 large portobellos, ends trimmed, brushed clean, cut into bite size pieces 
• Salt & black pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil 
• 4 shallots, peeled, thickly sliced 
• 2 carrots, thickly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced 
• 1 stick fresh oregano 
• 2 tbspns tomato paste 
• 1 cup red wine 
• 2 cups water, or more as needed 
• 1 bay leaf 
• 2 tbspns balsamic vinegar 
• 1 tbspn honey 
• Parsley, for garnishing 

Steps:

1. Heat 1 tbspn butter in a large stainless steel pot over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and lightly season with salt and black pepper. Cook until they begin to release their juices and brown at the edges, stirring frequently. Transfer to a bowl. 
2. Add 1 tbspn of olive oil to the pot. Add the shallots, carrots, garlic, and oregano and lightly season with salt and black pepper. Saute over medium heat until the vegetables begin to soften. 
3. Add the tomato paste and stir to coat ingredients and cook the tomato paste. 
4. Pour in the wine and deglaze the pot, stirring up any brown bits, then add the water and bay leaf. Return the mushrooms to the pot. They should be just covered with liquid; add more water to cover if not. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer for about half an hour. 
5. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and the honey, and taste for seasoning. 
6. Ladle into bowls and garnish with parsley. Serve with rice.

I've had beef bourguignon before, and it was delicious.  This was my first time attempting French cuisine.  I always worry that French cuisine is too complicated and time consuming.  However, my gosh, this recipe was idiot-proof.  I didn't even follow it exactly, but half an hour of simmering, the whole place smelled wonderful.

The most difficult part was shopping and cutting up the ingredients.  After that, it was more or less dumping one ingredient into the pot after another.  The next difficult part was waiting.  Half an hour?!  I usually have no patience.  This recipe is definitely a weekend project.  While waiting for the stew to reduce, I was able to clean the kitchen.

This is what's called "depth".  I could taste the wine, the herbs, the vegetables.  French cuisine is amazing at layering flavors.

Mushroom Bourguignon