This is a holiday dish I make, usually by request. In fact, since I invented it, I get asked to bring it to practically every potluck and/or group dinner I go to. :)

Branded Mushrooms

A quantity of fresh, whole Crimini mushrooms, I've done 4 oz up to 1 1/2 pounds. (125g to 750g). You'll need a big pan or a large amount. I seldom measure anything for this process.

Butter and/or Olive Oil. I use both and I prefer sweet (unsalted) butter and Extra Virgin olive oil..

A small yellow onion, slice thin, then chop coarsely.

A crushed garlic or two or finely chopped shallot.

Balsamic vinegar. Optional, if you don't have it use more Worcestershire and wine.

Cheap red wine. I've also used apple juice or grape juice but red wine is better. White wine in a pinch.

Worcestershire sauce.

Better than Bouillon, Beef Bouillon Base; it's kind of like thick Bovril but salty. You can find it near the Bouillon cubes in most American groceries or use some real bouillon or beef stock or the gummy stuff left in the pan after making a roast or steak.

Melt a quarter to a half stick of butter in a large, preferably heavy, saucepan then on low heat pour in your mushrooms and stir them with a wooden spoon so every 'shroom has a bit of butter on it. Toss in the chopped onion and stir so onion and 'shrooms are in lots of contact. Drizzle olive oil over the mix and stir some more.

The 'shrooms should begin shrinking and the onions go a bit glassy before you add the Better Than Bouillon, about a teaspoon (5 ml) per 8 oz. (250g) of 'shrooms. Stir a bit to get some on each 'shroom.

Pour on Balsamic vinegar, try to wet the whole mix down slightly but don't overdo it, maybe an ounce (30 ml) or two. Stir.

Put the chopped garlic or shallots in on top of the mix. Add Worcestershire sauce on top of that. Pour wine in while stirring carefully, get everything thouroughly wet and mixed with maybe half an inch (>1cm) of wine in the bottom of the pan. If using real bouillon or stock, use less wine.

Drizzle some more oil on if you like and stir occasionally while wine is reduced to thick, gravy-like sauce and mushrooms shrink and turn nearly black. If reduction happens before mushrooms darken to color of tea, add more wine and keep cooking. Don't get impatient; this takes as much as 30 minutes or more with a big batch.

Empty mushrooms into serving dish. Pour some or all of the thick dark sauce over them and stir them lightly in the serving dish. You can make a rich, dark beef-and-mushroom gravy with whatever you leave in the pan.

This can also be done with other versions of Better-than-Bouillon. I've done it with white mushrooms, chicken base and white wine instead of red but 'shrooms will get really dark with beef and red wine. To get darker color, you can also use cold
tea or coffee, grape juice or extra balsamic vinegar. Using white mushrooms instead of Crimini will work but is not as aesthetically pleasing and doesn't taste as rich. Experiment. Try using cranberry juice instead of wine, maybe with turkey or vegetable base Better-than-Bouillon. :) They're called Branded Mushrooms because of the dark color.

Serve as appetizer with supply of toothpicks for selecting plump 'shrooms or as a side dish. Goes well with most any meat maincourse but really nice for turkey to make meal more satisfying. Remember that mushrooms cook down by about 50% when figuring how much you need for each diner.

No one will ever ask you to make green bean casserole for a potluck again. :)

- Joyce