Mushroom Stock
Makes 2 to 4 cups
You will be astonished at the ease and usefulness of this recipe.
Actually, it’s not so much a recipe as it is a technique: a way to
extract two primary ingredients from a box of button mushrooms.
You can use the mushrooms and stock in Richard’s Mushroom-
Crusted Chicken Breasts with Mushroom Jus and Potato Risotto,
respectively; and, according to Richard, the stock works equally
well, reduced, in soups, vinaigrettes, and other sauces (such as a
sauce for steak au poivre). Just watch the mushrooms carefully:
once they’ve released all the liquid they’re going to release, strain
right away or the precious mushroom stock will evaporate.8 cups button or cremini mushrooms, cleaned with a damp
paper towelBegin by pulverizing the mushrooms in a food processor. This is
tricky: you don’t want to overdo it; just shred them enough so
they’re still in somewhat solid pieces, like mushroom confetti.
Add the mushroom confetti to a large pot and heat over medium
heat. Stir occasionally and wait for the liquid to come out; you
want to capture the moment when the maximum liquid is in the
pot, before it starts reducing again. Watch it carefully, and when it
looks as liquidy as it’s going to get (a few minutes from when you