Name: Wild Mushroom 'au Poivre'
Ingredients: 2 large shallots, diced; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tablespoon coarsely ground mixed peppercorns; 1/4 cup Cognac or dry white wine; 8 cups roasted wild mushrooms ((oyster, king trumpet, Maitake, porcini, cremini)); 2 cups porcini jus ((recipe below)); 1 cup heavy cream; 1 tablespoon dijon mustard; 4 tablespoons butter

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You might think of zinfandel with the sumptuous meats of southern BBQ but, if you want to keep things on the lighter side, there’s also the summer bounty of vegetables off the grill. Chef Katie Reicher at San Francisco’s Greens suggested a third way, offering her recipe for Wild Mushroom “au Poivre.” The savory, meaty quality of mushrooms pairs well with the ripe red-berry fruit and hints of peach that are often present in zinfandel. Scanning Seth Corr’s wine list at Greens, you might land on the 2018 Radio-Coteau Lemorel Estate, a cool, fragrant zin from the far Sonoma coast. Now, you can recreate that experience at home. —Alissa Bica

Ingredients

Wild Mushroom "au Poivre"

Serves 4 to 6

2 large shallots, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon coarsely ground mixed peppercorns
1/4 cup Cognac or dry white wine
8 cups roasted wild mushrooms (oyster, king trumpet, Maitake, porcini, cremini)
2 cups porcini jus (recipe below)
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
4 tablespoons butter

Instructions

Heat a large sauce pot over medium high heat. Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pot. Add the shallots and garlic and cook until the shallots start to turn translucent. Add the ground pepper and toast for 30 seconds more.
Add the Cognac to deglaze the pan.
Add the roasted mushrooms, porcini jus, heavy cream and dijon mustard. Stir to combine and allow the jus to come to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 3-5 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in the butter. Season with salt to taste. Serve over mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables, like haricots verts, baby carrots, or snow peas.

Ingredients

Porcini Mushroom Jus

Yield: 0.5 liter / 2 cups

1/2 cup red wine
1/4 cup tomato paste
8 cups water
2 ounces dry porcini mushrooms
8 cloves garlic, smashed
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 onion, cut into eight wedges
1 large carrot, cut into one-inch chunks (skins OK)
4 sprigs thyme
2 sprigs parsley

Instructions

Add the red wine to a saucepot over high heat and cook until almost all liquid is reduced to a thick concentration.
Add the tomato paste, water, dry porcinis, garlic, bay leaves and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a very low simmer. Simmer for 1 hour.
After an hour, add the onion, carrot, thyme and parsley and cook for another 45 minutes, or until the porcini jus has thickened slightly and the carrots are very soft.
Strain the stock through a fine mesh sieve, being sure to press the juice out of the softened vegetables. The stock should yield about 2 cups. If it has been slightly over-reduced, add some water to the strained stock until it yields 2 cups. Salt to taste.
*Note: stock can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 6 months.

This recipe is published as part of our Regional Tasting Report on US Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Friends.