Yesterday I served Mushroom Ragout from InterCourses. It’s an interesting combination of ingredients which creates a rich color to the dish. Chocolate is not traditionally used in main courses. However, Latin dishes use chocolate in such accompaniments as Mole sauce. It’s quite a seductive concept and a savory taste. However, I must admit that my Mushroom Ragout tasted a little bland and the subtle flavors of nutmeg, cloves as well as cardamom were lost even after I tossed in a little more than a pinch, perhaps that’s where I went wrong. This is my Mushroom Ragout after following the InterCourses recipe.
I truly appreciated the simplicity of the recipe and romance behind the ingredients. But after a taste, I went back to the pan that still had bits of the sauce and poured in heavy cream. I added salt and pepper and let the sauce thicken. I then added my already cooked Mushroom Ragout back into the pan. I let it get soaked in my sauce and served alongside some polenta. We licked every bit of that dark creamy sauce up.
To me, my version was more tasteful than the original. I have come across several Mushroom Ragout recipes and many use cream in the sauce, so I did not flinch at the thought of adding this to my recipe. To be honest, I have sautéed my mushrooms in salt, pepper and a tiny bit of soy sauce that tasted better.
I never tried or eaten a main course with chocolate as the sauce, but would love to try in this one.. Seems a new taste for my buds.