Mushroom Bourguignon

Where’s the beef? Not in this dish! A combination of fresh and dried mushrooms, vegetables, red wine and vegetable broth deliver a delicious vegetarian/vegan dinner. Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
16 ounces fresh sliced mushrooms (such as cremini, portobello, buDon, shiitake )
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 red bell pepper, cored and diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon salt & pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine
1 cup vegan vegetable broth

Instructions:
In a bowl or measuring cup, add one cup of hot water along with the dried mushrooms and set aside to rehydrate.

In a large pot, heat two tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Transfer them with their juices to a plate and set aside.

To the same pot over medium heat, add the remaining olive oil along with the onion, carrot, bell pepper, garlic, thyme, oregano, fresh basil, and salt & pepper and cook for 5 minutes.

Remove the dried mushrooms from the measuring cup. Strain and reserve the mushroom liquid. Discard any hard pieces of mushroom, then finely chop the rest. Add them to the pot along with the cooked mushrooms and 2 tablespoons of tomato paste. Stir everything together and cook for another 5 minutes. Pour in the red wine, the mushroom liquid, and the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Allow to cook for 15-20 minutes, allowing the liquid to reduce a bit.

Serve over rice, mashed potatoes, polenta, or pasta, and garnish with fresh chopped parsley or chives.