I fondly call this kind of food peasant fare, hearkening back to my ancestors in Ireland, Germany, and England: meals that are simple, hearty, and satisfying. It’s a dish I adapted from a recipe I stumbled upon online years ago and tweaked to my own liking, perfect for the cooler autumn days we’ve been having (though I’ve also enjoyed it many a time in the midst of a blustery, snowy day as well)

Mushroom stew, served with a crusty hunk of bread

Mushroom stew recipe

Serves 4 (hearty portions)

Ingredients

• 1, to 1.5 lb of Portobello and white sliced or whole mushrooms mixed together (I’ve used just Portobello with fantastic results as well, but the mix of mushrooms adds to the variety of textures)
• ¼ cup of butter or margarine
• 1 large sweet (or Vidalia) onion, chopped pretty fine
• 4 -5 cloves minced garlic (you can use less if you’re not a garlic lover like me)
• A half teaspoon of thyme powder (or a few springs of fresh thyme taken from the stems and chopped)
• ¼ cup or so of red wine or beef stock
• ½ cup of full-fat coconut milk or heavy cream (I prefer the coconut milk because it makes the stew really creamy and adds a hint of flavor that is lovely)
• 2 green onions, chopped (these provide a dash of color in an otherwise earth-toned dish as well)
• Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Heat a large, flat soup pan or skillet over a medium heat. Add the butter or margarine.
2. Stir-in the onions and garlic. Cook them for a few minutes until they begin to brown.
3. Add the mushrooms, sea salt and black pepper and give a few stirs. Continue to cook the mixture until the moisture released by the mushrooms evaporates.
4. Add the wine or stock as well as the heavy cream or coconut milk and stir.
5. Simmer for a few minutes to thicken and add in the thyme leaves and green onions.

And there you have it! Delicious, healthy, and filling…perfect for chilly weather but good anytime!