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Marsala sauce, a Vegetarian choice
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Photo courtesy of Erik Wunderlich
Recently a friend of mine called me up to ask where all of my vegetarian recipes went. This is because when we were younger I was a staunch vegetarian (for nine years, it was more than a passing thing) and was forced by necessity to make food that was meat-free but also delicious.
I was and am still a fan of vegetarian options and now feel it would be remiss if I were not to include some of my most favorite recipes. I hope to be able to share many of my recipes over the coming months, feel free to adapt them to suit your needs.
This recipe is, tellingly, one of my wifes favorites and one which she taught me how to make; over time we have used it on everything, from tagliatelli to stuffed shells, over chicken for an easy chicken marsala, to a fancy dip on a relish tray. It also has the benefit of being so simple to make you could whip it up at a moments notice for company if the need arises.
One medium sized pot (with a lid that fits), a whisk or fork, 10 oz sliced button mushrooms, 2 tbl flour (all purpose), 1 tbl butter, ½ cup milk, 12 oz marsala wine (we use Holland House brand, it is available in many grocery stores), salt and pepper. (See what I said? Easy.)
Heat the pan over medium heat, add the butter.
When it melts, add the flour and whisk together.
When it smells like bread it is finished cooking, reduce heat to a simmer (this is also called roux) this is the principle thickening agent of this sauce.
Once it is all roux-ed up, add 1/4 cup milk (any kind will do) and whisk until it is very thick.
Add the other 1/4 cup milk, and whisk again. (This is the important part, as it will make the sauce nice and creamy as opposed to lumpy, which is really really bad here).
Add the marsala wine, and whisk nicely and add the mushrooms (I like them sliced, but they could be quartered as well or as you like).
Bring up to almost a boil, and reduce heat back to a simmer.
Stir and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes with the lid on.
Season to taste and serve as you like.
Now I love this sauce on hand made tagliatelli (as in the picture above) or other fresh pastas like linguine or cavatelli but it also shines as a substitute for red sauce for dishes like linguine vongole (linguini with clams) or stuffed shells.
Also if this is used with fresh pasta, it is a natural pairing with low-moisture mozzerella or parmigiano-reggiano cheeses.
For wine pairing, I recommend something like a Lambrusco, Chianti, or even something like a Cabernet Sauvignon, just not something as big as a super-Tuscan.
Cheers,
Erik
Directions:
For this recipe you will need:
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