Whip Up This Mushroom Duxelles Recipe for an Elegant Appetizer (2024)

Mushroom duxelles (pronounced duck-SELL) is an intensely flavored combination of finely chopped mushrooms, shallots, and fresh herbs such as thyme or parsley that are slowly cooked to a paste-like consistency. French in origin and named after the marquis d'Uxelles, this mushroom condiment is traditionally used in the preparation of beef Wellington,but it can also be used to flavor soups and sauces as well as to fill omelets and ravioli. It also happens to make for a delectable spread on crostini or toast points. Other creative uses include adding it as a flavor booster for mashed potatoes or mushroom-centric pasta dishes.

What Are Truffles?

The key ingredients in duxelles are mushrooms, butter, salt, and pepper. Any type of mushroom or a combination can be used, including cremini, morel, shiitake, porcini, and white button mushrooms, and ingredient variations can include shallots and/or garlic and chopped fresh parsley.

An important step in making duxelles is to remove as much moisture as possible from the mushrooms, both before cooking and during the process. They need to be cooked long enough so the mushrooms release their moisture and then cook completely until the liquid evaporates. This will prevent any unnecessary sogginess, which is essential to a crisp pastry for beef Wellington.

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what you'll need for this mushroom duxelles recipe

A Zippy Food Processor
A Clean Dish Towel
A Great Nonstick Skillet

"These were easy and the flavor was great. It took just a few minutes to chop the shallots and pulse the mushrooms in the food processor. If you're using fresh thyme, the leaves make an attractive garnish. I tossed it with some rice and served it with steak." —Diana Rattray

Whip Up This Mushroom Duxelles Recipe for an Elegant Appetizer (6)

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces mushrooms

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

  • 1/4 cup finely chopped shallot

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 1/4 cup dry vermouth, sherry, or white wine

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

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  2. Finely chop the mushrooms in a food processor.

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  3. Scrape the mushrooms onto a clean cotton kitchen towel. (Choose an old towel as the mushrooms will stain it. Do not use terry cloth.)

  4. Over a sink, twist the towel around the mushrooms to wring out as much liquid as possible.

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  5. Heat a large (10-inch) nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat.

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  6. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and swirl to melt and avoid burning.

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  7. Add the mushrooms, shallot, thyme, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of black pepper.

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  8. Cook until the mushrooms release their liquid and continue to cook until the liquid evaporates and the mushrooms appear dry and begin to brown, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

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  9. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and, when melted, add the vermouth.

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  10. Cook until the vermouth has evaporated, stirring frequently. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired.

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How to Store and Freeze

  • You can make the duxelles a day ahead of time so that the assembly of the beef Wellington or other dishes goes more quickly.
  • Duxelles freeze well. This recipe produces more than you need for two Wellingtons, so you can save the remainder for future use. Roll the amount you won't immediately use into a log and wrap in plastic or foil, or spoon portions into an ice cube tray, and freeze. When ready to use, cut a portion from the log or remove a cube.

How to Use Mushroom Duxelles

Mushroom duxelles is commonly used in beef Wellington, but it can also be used in a wide variety of other ways:

  • Topping for crostini, toasts, or even baked potatoes.
  • In omelets.
  • In bread stuffing or used as part of the stuffing mixture for acorn squash.
  • Filling for a tart, savory pie, flaky pastries, or ravioli.
  • Flavorful addition to soups, pasta, or mashed potatoes.
  • Toss with your garlic and butter pasta or cacio e pepe.
  • Assemble a grilled cheese sandwich with a layer of duxelles.
  • Use duxelles as a stuffing for baked sole or flounder.
  • Add mushroom duxelles to your favorite stuffed chicken mixture.
  • Add leftover duxelles to your chicken Marsala sauce.
  • Sprinkle duxelles over a white pizza.

Recipe Variations

  • Add 1 clove of minced garlic along with the finely chopped shallots.
  • Garnish the duxelles with extra fresh thyme leaves or chopped fresh parsley.
  • Spread duxelles on crostini and top with shredded or shaved Gruyère or Parmesan cheese. Place the crostini on a baking sheet and broil just until the cheese is melted.

Beef Wellington

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
98Calories
6g Fat
7g Carbs
2g Protein

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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories98
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g8%
Saturated Fat 4g18%
Cholesterol 15mg5%
Sodium 83mg4%
Total Carbohydrate 7g2%
Dietary Fiber 2g6%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 5mg23%
Calcium 14mg1%
Iron 1mg7%
Potassium 258mg5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

  • Mushroom
  • appetizer
  • french
  • birthdays
Whip Up This Mushroom Duxelles Recipe for an Elegant Appetizer (2024)

FAQs

Why is it called Duxelle? ›

Duxelles is said to have been created by the 17th-century French chef François Pierre La Varenne (1615–1678) and to have been named after his employer, Nicolas Chalon du Blé, Marquis d'Uxelles, Maréchal de France.

What is mushroom Duxelle made of? ›

Mushroom duxelles are a mix of finely chopped mushrooms (use button or cremini mushrooms or get fancy with a mix of wild mushrooms), shallots, and garlic sautéed in butter, then mixed with a little bit of chopped parsley, and cooked until the liquid is removed.

What can you use instead of duxelle? ›

Bone marrow. This will knock any mushroom duxelle out of the water. Of course, it would also be better with mushrooms too, but bone marrow is the way.

What does duxelle taste like? ›

If you love mushrooms, you'll love Duxelles. It's an earthy flavored umami bomb for your tastebuds. It's a classic French preparation and finely chopped mixture of mushrooms, herbs, garlic, and shallots cooked in butter.

Should Duxelle be dry? ›

An important step in making duxelles is to remove as much moisture as possible from the mushrooms, both before cooking and during the process. They need to be cooked long enough so the mushrooms release their moisture and then cook completely until the liquid evaporates.

What is the nutritional value of mushroom duxelles? ›

Nutritional Info: Per serving: 60 calories (50 from fat), 5g total fat, 2g saturated fat, 10mg cholesterol, 200mg sodium, 2g carbohydrates (0g dietary fiber, 1g sugar), 10g protein.

What mushroom is closest to beef? ›

The portobello mushroom crowns as the superior beef replacement due to their satisfying texture and array of flavours. This mushroom's absorbency can soak up sauces effortlessly, leaving for a fulfilling dish.

How do I know when duxelle is done? ›

When done the mushrooms will resemble a dark brown, mealy, almost paste-like texture. The quantity will also have been reduced by about half, so 4 cups of finely minced pieces will produce about 2 cups of finished duxelles. Taste and adjust for seasoning.

Can I freeze mushroom duxelle? ›

You can make and freeze it but it will be wetter when you defrost it, however you can rectify this by heating it in a medium saucepan or frying pan over a medium to high heat, stirring frequently, to evaporate the excess moisture.

What is it called beef Wellington? ›

Beef Wellington is a steak dish of English origin, made out of fillet steak coated with pâté (often pâté de foie gras) and duxelles, wrapped in puff pastry, then baked.

What do the French call beef Wellington? ›

However, the Beef Wellington most closely resembles the French filet de boeuf en croute and may well have been renamed the Beef Wellington after the Battle of Waterloo – rather than being a dish specifically created for the Duke of Wellington.

Why is it called duck butter? ›

The term duck butter is older than you may want to believe. In the 1930s, it was slang for sem*n, and in the 1950s, smegm*. The duck may refer to the smell of duck droppings, according to Green's Dictionary of Slang, and the butter, its liquidness and light color.

Why is it called mud pie? ›

History. The name "Mississippi mud pie" is derived from the dense cake that resembles the banks of the Mississippi River. Its earliest known reference in print is dated 1975.

Why is it called duck sauce? ›

It is speculated that the name "duck sauce" came about because its ancestor, tianmian sauce, was first served with Peking duck in China. When the Chinese emigrated to the U.S., they created Chinese dishes that would appeal more to the American palate, and developed a sweeter version of the sauce used in China.

References

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