On Roasted Porcini puree......

    This is a special I made two days ago.....Grass fed hanger steak with charred scallions, chantrelle mushrooms, and roasted porcini puree. I take the porcini mushrooms and give them a heavy sear. Once the mushrooms are seared I take them out of the pan and toss some onions and garlic in the same pan that I seared  the mushrooms in. As soon as the onions start to get some color I throw the porcini mushrooms back in, deglaze with some brandy and add some dark chicken stock. I reduce the chicken stock by half, add butter and place all the ingredients in the blender. After that I blend it on high speed until a smooth puree forms. I warm the puree on pick up and add salt as need be.
     Porcini mushrooms are my all time favorite type of mushroom. Its one of the few reasons why I look forward to summer every year. It has a very meaty texture with a nutty and earthy flavor profile. I get my mushrooms early in the morning at the Union Square market.  I have to get there early because the supplies are limited as they are a rare commodity. If you can't find porcini mushrooms at your local market you can easily substitute with  any type of mushroom.
    You can use the puree with steaks  or a meaty white fish such as grouper or monkfish. I have folded the puree into creamy pasta dishes as well as risottos. You can mix it with ricotta and fresh herbs and its transforms into a nice spread that you can put over a crusty grilled  sourdough bread. Honestly the possible uses for the puree are endless. Here are some pics of the special.