Champignon Bourguignon Recipe

Prep mushrooms and aromatics

Clean mushrooms by brushing or wiping with a damp cloth; trim tough stems and cut larger mushrooms into 1-inch pieces so most pieces are uniform. Pat dry. Peel pearl onions: blanch in boiling water 30–60 seconds, drain, and slip skins off. Peel and slice carrots into 1/2-inch rounds. Mince garlic and measure thyme and bay leaf.

Brown mushrooms

Heat a large heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbs butter and 1 tbs olive oil. When hot and shimmering, add mushrooms in a single layer (work in two batches if necessary to avoid steaming). Cook without disturbing 2–3 minutes until well browned, then stir and cook another 2–3 minutes until deeply caramelized. Transfer browned mushrooms to a plate and reserve.

Carrots and pearl onions

Add remaining 1 tbs butter to the same pot over medium heat. Add carrots and pearl onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until edges begin to brown and carrots start to soften, about 6–8 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Develop flavor

Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute to caramelize. Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir to coat (the flour will help thicken the sauce); cook 1 minute more to remove raw flour taste.

Deglaze and simmer

Pour in the red wine to deglaze the pan, scraping any browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Allow wine to simmer and reduce by about half, roughly 3–5 minutes. Add vegetable stock, soy sauce, thyme sprigs, bay leaf, and return the browned mushrooms to the pot. Bring to a low simmer, reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer, cover partially, and cook 12–15 minutes until carrots are tender and sauce is slightly reduced.

Finish and season

Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in chopped parsley. If sauce needs thickening, simmer uncovered 2–4 minutes more; if too thick, add up to 2 tbs stock or water.

Cook potatoes

Place potato cubes in a medium pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Add 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook until potatoes are fork-tender, about 12–15 minutes.

Sauté leeks

While potatoes cook, melt 2 tbs butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add sliced leeks and a pinch of salt and cook gently until soft and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Do not brown; lower heat if necessary.

Warm milk and mash

Heat milk or cream in a small saucepan or microwave until warm (not boiling). Drain potatoes well and return them to the pot. Add sautéed leeks, warm milk, and optional crème fraîche or sour cream. Mash with a potato masher or ricer until smooth but still a bit textured. Season with remaining 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper to taste.

Adjust consistency

If mash is too stiff, add more warm milk 1 tbs at a time until desired consistency is reached. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Spoon a generous portion of potato-leek mash onto each plate. Ladle hot Champignon Bourguignon over or beside the mash, making sure to include mushrooms, carrots, and pearl onions plus sauce. Drizzle 1 tsp olive oil over the stew for sheen and richness, and sprinkle remaining chopped parsley as garnish.

Serve immediately with crusty bread if desired. Leftovers: store components separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of stock or milk if needed.