Sherry-Glazed Cast-Iron Steakhouse Mushrooms
Champiñones al Jerez·(chahm-peen-YOH-ness ahl heh-RETH)
Chapter 3: Steakhouse Sides
The grill cook drops whole creminis into a smoking cast-iron skillet, letting the mushrooms hiss before they reach the wood-paneled dining room of Keens or Peter Luger. Amid scarred oak tables and the haze of seared beef fat, these sides are built to balance the intense salt of a dry-aged porterhouse. You do not come to a classic chophouse for a light salad. The mushrooms are aggressively seared in screaming-hot cast iron to build a crust, then drowned in dry sherry, beef stock, and enough butter. Do not wash the fungi, do not crowd the pan, and whatever you do, do not flinch at the butter. Toss in four tablespoons of cold butter, let the liquid reduce to a thick syrup, then pull the pan off the heat.
Ingredients
- Cremini mushrooms1 1/2 lb
- neutral oil2 tbsp
- unsalted European-style butter5 tbsp
- shallot1 large
- garlic4 small cloves
- fresh thyme4 sprigs
- dry sherry1/2 cup
- rich beef stock1/4 cup
- Worcestershire sauce1 tbsp
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- fresh flat-leaf parsley2 tbsp
Method
- 01
Sear the mushrooms undisturbed in a screaming-hot cast-iron skillet.
Place a 12-inch heavy cast-iron skillet over high heat. Allow the dry pan to heat for at least 3 minutes until fiercely hot. Add the neutral oil, which should shimmer immediately, followed by the mushrooms in a single, even layer. Step away. Do not stir, do not shake the pan, and do not salt them. Let them sear entirely undisturbed for 4 to 5 minutes to trigger the Maillard reaction and build a deep, golden-brown crust.
- 02
Sweat the aromatics in the first wave of butter.
Toss the mushrooms once to flip them. Lower the heat slightly to medium and push the mushrooms to the perimeter of the skillet. Drop 2 tablespoons of the whole butter into the center of the pan. As it foams, add the diced shallot, smashed garlic cloves, and thyme sprigs, sautéing the aromatics in the butter pool for 2 to 3 minutes until the shallots are translucent and deeply fragrant. Toss everything together to combine.
- 03
Deglaze the pan with dry sherry.
Season the mixture aggressively with kosher salt and copious amounts of freshly cracked black pepper. Pour in the dry sherry, standing back slightly as the alcohol may flare up if working over a gas flame. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any dark, beautiful fond from the bottom of the cast iron.
- 04
Build the umami bath and reduce.
Add the beef stock and the Worcestershire sauce. Allow the liquid to come to a hard simmer. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced by at least half and begins to look thick and syrupy.
- 05
Mount the sauce with cold butter off the heat.
Remove the cast-iron skillet completely from the heat. Drop in the remaining 3 tablespoons of cold, cubed butter. Swirl the pan continuously or stir vigorously with a spoon until the cold butter melts and emulsifies into the reduced liquids. You will be left with a dark, glossy, incredibly rich glaze that clings to every mushroom.
- 06
Garnish and serve immediately alongside a heavily charred steak.
Discard the thyme stems. Transfer the mushrooms and every drop of the luxurious pan sauce to a warmed serving dish, garnish with a shower of chopped fresh parsley, and bring immediately to the table.