White Elephants - a savory side dish for a feast

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I make a version of this for almost every potluck, once I had made it, organizers demand that I repeat.

White Elephants Savory Sidedish

1 medium onion, peeled, sliced and quartered to make strings
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound whole Crimini (Golden, Baby 'Bella) mushrooms
1/2 cup beef bouillon (you can use vegetable or chicken if you prefer)
1/2 cup red wine (white wine, beer or apple juice will work - porter is just as good as red wine)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce (optional)
6 ounces of whole garlic cloves, peeled (about six bulbs)

In a large, deep pan, brown onion strings in butter and oil, add washed mushrooms and stir to get a bit of oil on each 'shroom
Add bouillon and red wine and cook on medium high until liquid is boiling, turn down to medium or medium low to reduce to simmer
Add Worcestershire sauce and vinegar and cook for about thirty minutes, stirring now and then
Add garlic cloves and keep stirring at five minute intervals as liquid is reduced to thick, nearly black liquid the consistency of gravy
You can adjust the heat up or down during the last part if you need to for timing. Keep warm until ready to serve, reheating not a good idea as garlic cloves will lose texture.

Serve. Makes a good side dish for 8 to 10 diners or appetizer for 12 to 20.

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!
Hugs,
Erin

Comments

Interesting.

Extravagance's picture

What if one were to substitute the mushrooms for, oooh, prawns? =)
Oh, and instead of half a cup of wine near the beginning, a whole bottle of wine right before you serve it.

I call this this variation "PINK elephants". ^_^

Catfolk Pride.PNG

Erin, sounds yummy!

Any other scrumptious recipes?

    Stanman
May Your Light Forever Shine

But when does one add

the elephant, and how much should I add? I'd think, for a gathering of more than 4 or 5, I'd need a considerable amount of elephant? Oh, and just where am I supposed to find a white one?

Hugs and love,
Catherine Linda Michel

As a T-woman, I do have a Y chromosome... it's just in cursive, pink script. Y_0.jpg

Damn you

that was going to be my joke!!!

Katie Leone (Katie-Leone.com)

Writing is what you do when you put pen to paper, being an author is what you do when you bring words to life

Sorry K.T.

I have this irresistible impulse to jump on straight lines and vague innuendoes. It's a failing I know, but what can I do?

Cathy

As a T-woman, I do have a Y chromosome... it's just in cursive, pink script. Y_0.jpg

Go

Go with your instincts. Pounce away.

-----------------
Life is full of matter. Why does it really matter?

When do I add wine?

When do I add the wine? Or is that mommies little helper to make it through the day? After listening to the kids and daddy along with the relatives I would think I would need more than what you suggested!

Oh and what do Elephants drink with their food? White, Red or Pink?

That's Scrumptious!

*holding out my plate!*

 
 
 
Your thoughts...
Give them to me...
now!
[in a deep husky
Austrian accent]

Addicted to 'Shrooms are we? -- grin --

Speaking of 'shrooms...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_hKLfTKU5Y

Nice to see your mushroom recipe again, Erin.

For Our get together with the relatives Thursday my sis made a cherry pie and a pumpkin/pecan pie and deviled eggs, piped not spooned.

Take that 007 !

I made not quite whole wheat buns -- 3 cups whole wheat flour to one of bread flour. Great taste but with that much wheat flour you risk the finished product being too fragile.

I let it rise overnight in the fridge to reduce that problem. The proteins hydrolyze and form more gluten that way or so the food scientists tell us.

Our oven controls malfunctioned and slightly burnt the outside of my eggnog bread but it still tastes good, very good actually.

It's a bread machine recipe adapted to a stand mixer and a conventional oven,

The flowing makes one large or 2 medium free form loaf(s). Think Vienna/Italian bread for the size and shape. Or a huge sub sandwich loaf.

Mix these dry ingredients. 4 cups bread flour. 1 & 1/2 TSP dry yeast. 3 TBSP sugar. 1 TSP salt. 1/2 TSP nutmeg. A total of 1/3 cup dried or candied fruits and citrus zest. Dried blue berries, apricots, candied pineapple, craisins, dried cherries and so on work well. If you don't have the zest use a small amount, say 1/2 TSP lemon juice and 1/4 TSP lime juice. Oh and 3 TBSP butter cut up in small pieces.

The wet ingredients are 3/4 cup canned or fresh eggnog. 1/3 cup water. 1 large egg. And I often substitute in aprox 1/2 cup plain yogurt or 1/3 cup sour cream for some of the liquid. Adds a nice tang and richness. Be sure to save a few ounces of eggnog as it is needed for the glaze at the end.

Mix well and kneed a bit. Okay to use the bread machine or a heavy stand mixer for this. Let rise in a covered greased bowl until roughly doubled. At 80 to 100 F that is about one hour. Or let rise overnight in 'frige.

Form into a loaf by rolling and tucking then pushing in and tucking the ends. Place seam side down on a lightly greased and corn meal dusted cookie sheet. Spraying the loaf with a canola oil cooking spray before the rise and/or just before baking helps keep it moist and gives a nice crust. Let rise aprox 45 minutes then bake at 370 F for 25 to thirty minutes or so. Might want to lightly tent with aluminum foil after 15 minutes to avoid over browning the crust.

Test for doneness like any bread. Sounds *hollow* when thumped with index fingernail. Instant read thermometer comes out dry and reads 200 something F.

Let cool until just a little warm glaze wit 1/2 to 1 cup powdered sugar just barley dissolved in a few TBSP of eggnog. Glaze all over. I haven't a clue to the calories.

What is nice is this stollen, it's basically a stollen, is versatile. WAAAAAY better than any fruit cake. No eggnog? Make a fruit purée. Frozen or fresh strawberries and a banana cooked in their own juices and mashed /blended works great as does applesauce with rhubarb and so on.

I've even used pears with fresh apples or strawberries to make the puree. PS the strawberries turn it pink. Use leftover puree in the glaze. Could add a little vanilla extract or whatever to the dough as well.

Have fun.

John in Wauwatosa

John in Wauwatosa