Polish Mushroom Cream Sauce {Sos Grzybowy}
I’ve had wild mushrooms on my mind for a few weeks now. I’m seeing my friends back in Poland bragging about their bounty on social media every weekend, and all I can do is dream about being in the forest behind our house, searching for the delicious treasure.
I did my searching at the local grocery store this week, not as exciting, but what’s exciting is that this wild mushroom cream sauce I made came out just as I wanted it to. Its chunky, creamy and earthy, and just like the one back home, even though I only used mushrooms available at the market.
Back home, we’d eat freshly picked wild mushrooms in identical cream sauce, normally over boiled potatoes, kopytka or kluski. No meat needed. Pieces of mushrooms would be plenty “meaty” to fill and satisfy even the most demanding of meat eaters.
Polish Mushroom Sauce {Sos Grzybowy}
Ingredients
- ½ c / 10 g of dried wild mushrooms
- 6 oz / 170 g of fresh mushrooms (criminology, shiitake, oyster mushrooms, button mushrooms)
- ½ of an onion, chopped
- 2 tbsp / 25 g of butter
- ¼ tsp of salt
- 3 bay leaves
- 5 whole peppercorns and allspice berries (each)
- 4 c / 1 l of chicken or vegetable stock
- ⅔ c / 160 ml of heavy cream
- 3 tbsp of all-purpose flour
- ½ c / 120 ml of cold water
- 1 tsp of butter
Instructions
Soak dried mushrooms for 30 min in about 1 cup hot water.
Wash fresh mushrooms and chop into smaller pieces. Sauté in butter with onions and salt until golden brown around the edges (about 10-12 minutes). Add water from soaking dried mushrooms along with stock, bay leaves, peppercorns and allspice berries. Chop reconstituted dried mushrooms and add to sauce. Simmer on low for about 20 minutes.
Add cream. Combine COLD water with flour and whisk. Add to sauce and bring to boil. Sauce will thicken. Add butter to finish off the sauce. Taste. Add more salt, if needed.
Notes
IMPORTANT: do not serve dishes prepared with wild mushrooms to children.
"Gołąbki" can be served on their own, covered with your favorite sauce, or with a side of potatoes.
*I’m using a mixture of wild mushrooms, like this one. If you have access to a Polish deli (or an Italian store) you can most likely buy them there. This however is convenient and price is very affordable, comparatively.
Let me know how this recipe turned out for you.
Cook, share and smacznego!
Anna