This is such a heartwarming sauce that pairs well with, I think, just about any meat. My go-to is always chicken tenderloins or chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on but you could easily use a whole chicken, fish, red meat, or dare I say it...tofu?
Recently I was reflecting on what makes a home, a home? The saying goes "home is where the heart is" but that doesn't hold true in some situations especially if you move around whether it be for your job, military, cost, or just boredom of the same place and suddenly your family is elsewhere. So what is the first thing you do when you move somewhere new? To put your heart back into this strange new space? Of course you unpack your things, maybe play some music, decorate this new living space and over time it begins to feel like you could live there. For me, I have to cook something. That first meal in a new place is the most important. I want to slow-cook something that sticks to your ribs and permeates the rooms with a pleasing aroma that nothing could wash out. I want to bake a pie with the windows open so everyone knows where that wonderful smell is coming from. I want to plant all my favorite herbs and vegetables and flowers in the back so you know fresh ingredients and love are going into the food. That's what makes a home a home for me; the cooking.
This dish is just that. It's an important meal to make and one that you can smell before you even get to the front door. The flavor cannot even be compared to anything else. The marriage of mushrooms, tomato, wine, broth, and fresh tarragon is unbelievable and will have you licking the spoon. And if that's not enough, Baby R loves this sauce! The mushrooms are great to practice that dexterity but keep a napkin on the ready!
I love to pair this with brown rice and some kind of roasted vegetable. The sauce is so flavorful you don't need anything else competing with it!
Ingredients:
1lb mushrooms, washed and sliced
6 tbsp butter
4 shallots, peeled and minced
2 tbsp All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour or regular flour
1/2 cup white wine (or broth)
1/4 chicken or vegetable broth
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 bouquet garni (take two celery ribs and in one half place 2 bay leaves, a few sprigs of thyme, and a few leaves of sage, place the other half on top and tie together with kitchen string)
5-6 sprigs of fresh tarragon, stem removed and minced
Salt and Pepper
White fish, meat, chicken thighs, chicken tenderloins
* Either bake the fish, grill the meat, brown or bake the chicken thighs, or saute the chicken tenderloins, for this you can cook these any way you'd like*
Instructions:
1. In a saucepan set over medium heat, add the butter and mushrooms and saute for a few minutes. Add in the shallots and cook for another few minutes until softened.
2. Sprinkle the flour and stir so everything is coated and has a nice color.
3. Pour in the wine and broth and add the tomato paste as well as salt and pepper to taste. Once everything is evenly distributed, place the bouquet garni on top. Bring to a boil and then cover and let simmer for about 15 minutes. You may have to take the lid off to stir every once in awhile.
4. Before you serve the sauce, remove the bouquet garni and stir in the fresh tarragon. Enjoy!
