Portobello The mushroom that thinks it’s a steak longs to be brushed with oil, seasoned with salt and pepper and placed right on the grill.

Enoki Its thin stems are perfect added raw to a salad or floating atop wild mushroom soup.
Porcini These meaty brutes have a full flavour that can stand the long cooking time of a classic risotto.

Chanterelle An elegant mushroom that’s freshest in the fall and has an almost fruity taste when sautéed in olive oil and a hint of garlic and white wine.

Wild Mushroom Ravioli with Truffle Sauce and Pecorino Cheese
By chef François Gagnon, CinCin, Vancouver

1 pound each of chanterelle, morel and porcini mushrooms
1/3 cup shallots, chopped
3 tbsp garlic, chopped
1 tsp thyme, chopped
6 tbsp dry white wine
2/3 cup grated parmesan
6 tbsp mascarpone cheese
1/2 bunch parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
3 sheets fresh pasta

Sauté the mushrooms on medium-high heat until chanterelles brown. Add shallots, garlic and thyme and cook for 2 minutes. Deglaze pan with wine, cover and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat. Uncover and let mushroom mixture rest and excess moisture evaporate. Remove from heat, transfer to a food processor and purée. Combine with cheeses, parsley, salt and pepper. Cool.
Using a round cutter, cut an even number of circular disks from the pasta sheets. Place a spoonful of the mushroom mixture on half of the pasta disks, moisten the edges with water, and cover with the remaining pasta disks.

Place the ravioli in salted boiling water for 3 minutes, removing promptly. Divide ravioli on serving plates and cover with truffle sauce (recipe follows). Drizzle with olive oil and salt, and garlic bread crumbs (optional). Makes 4 servings.

WEB SPECIAL
Pasta Dough for Wild Mushroom Ravioli with Truffle Sauce and Pecorino Cheese
By chef François Gagnon, CinCin, Vancouver
1 3/4 cups "00" flour (find at Italian or gourmet stores)
6 egg yolks
2 eggs
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of salt

Place 1 1/2 cups of the flour in a large bowl and make a well in the flour. Whisk eggs, yolks, olive oil and salt together, and pour into the centre of the well. With a fork, stir the egg mixture to gradually absorb the flour. Once dough is formed, place on smooth surface on top of the remaining flour and knead the dough, back to front, for approximately 10 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Set pasta machine at the widest setting. Start by processing 1/3 of the pasta dough in the machine. Give a quarter turn and process again at the same setting. Repeat using above steps at a narrower setting until pasta is translucent.

Truffle Sauce
1/2 lemon, cut into 6 wedges
1 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
2 shallots, minced
1 small sprig thyme
3 cracked peppercorns
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/3 pound cold unsalted butter, diced
1/4 cup truffle oil
Salt to taste

Combine lemon, wine, vinegar, garlic, shallots, thyme and peppercorn in a saucepan and reduce over low heat until 1/4 cup remains. Turn off heat and whisk in cream. Add butter one piece at a time and whisk until incorporated. Add truffle oil and salt to taste.
For a recipe for Roasted Mushroom and Caramelized Onion Pasta with Truffle-infused Grana Padano Cream Sauce by chef Ned Bell, Cabana Bar and Grille, Kelowna, see westernliving.ca. wl

Roasted Mushroom and Caramelized Onion Pasta with Truffle-infused Grana Padano Cream Sauce
By chef Ned Bell, Cabana Bar and Grille, Kelowna
1 lb corkscrew or spiral pasta
1 lb assorted mushrooms (shiitake, oyster, portobello), stems removed
1/2 cup shallots, finely chopped
2 tbsp garlic, chopped
1 tbsp fresh thyme
1 lemon, zested
1/2 cup white wine
2 cups cream (35%)
1 cup low-fat sour cream
2 tbsp truffle paste (or 1 tbsp truffle oil)
1 cup Grana Padano parmesan cheese, grated
Fresh chives, chopped
2 cups fresh spinach
Olive oil
Salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Cool on a baking tray and toss in a little olive oil.
Roughly chop mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper, toss in olive oil to coat, and roast on a baking tray at 375°F for 10-12 minutes, until cooked and slightly crispy.

Meanwhile, in a large, shallow pot, sauté shallots in olive oil for 2-5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and sauté for another minute, until both ingredients are translucent. Add fresh thyme and lemon zest. Add wine and reduce for 1 minute. Add cream, sour cream and truffle paste or oil. (Do not to boil or sauce will separate.)

Add pasta and mushrooms to pot, stir and add parmesan cheese. Season with salt, pepper and chives. Toss in spinach until it wilts. Serve on a large platter with fresh crusty bread; accompany with a crunchy romaine salad. Serves 4-6.

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