Mushroom stew with truffles, just like in Cristești

Nothing in this world has a unique versatility like truffles – a delicacy enjoyed by both kings, deities, and pigs alike. Encased in an oddly shaped exterior, encompassing everything that means the innards of the earth, unexpected aromas, the unmistakable taste of the soil, and flavors beyond anyone’s reach, the truffle, by excellence, is the queen of the forest and all tubers. With a pronounced aroma and intense flavor, truffles have the ability to elevate even the most ordinary dish and endow it with unparalleled preciousness. Hidden away from the curious and the keen noses of dogs, who strangely are also called truffles, this miraculous tuber lives its life in the shade of walnut trees, under a mysterious blanket of almost extraterrestrial spores.

Today, we are in Cristești, at the home of Mr. Vasile – an expert in finding and growing truffles – a specialist both in cooking with them and in matching basic tastes with this unusual ingredient. The simplicity of the dish proposed by him takes on a completely unexpected contrast at the end and changes radically, like twilight into dawn. The mushroom stew may seem like a fairly common recipe in the area, but miraculously, the ending transforms everything you knew about taste and cooking.

As if in a nearly sacred ritual, Mr. Vasile sautés the onions, adding the cleaned mushrooms and letting everything simmer gently over a low flame. When the mushrooms have sautéed well and acquired a golden color, our chef lets the resulting dish cool, away from the heat.

Separately, in a bowl, Vasile mixes a spoonful of flour with cream, incorporating a beaten egg. He then adjusts the resulting composition with salt and pepper. He combines the cream mixture with the mushrooms and stirs well. The prepared stew is simmered over low heat for a few minutes, constantly stirring. The stew is ready when the ingredients have melded into a creamy consistency.

Serve with freshly grated black truffle on top and homemade bread. Who would have believed that just a stone’s throw from Iași, in Cristești, there is a hidden paradise where the earth’s belly produces treasures that gain value in minuscule weights, measured in tens of grams… Enjoy to the fullest, with wide-open mouths for such a dish!

Ingredients:

– 1 kg mushrooms (can be fresh or frozen)

– 3 medium onions

– 400 ml homemade cream

– 1 egg

– 1 tablespoon of white flour

– 3 tablespoons of oil

– Grated black truffle

Instructions:

In three tablespoons of oil, sauté the onions and add the cleaned mushrooms, letting everything simmer over medium heat. When the mushrooms have sautéed well and acquired a golden color, let the resulting dish cool, away from the heat.

Separately, in a bowl, dissolve a spoonful of flour in cream and incorporate a beaten egg. Adjust the resulting composition with salt and pepper. Combine the cream mixture with the mushrooms and stir well. Then, simmer the stew over low heat for a few minutes, constantly stirring. The stew is ready when the ingredients have melded into a creamy consistency.

Serve with freshly grated black truffle on top and homemade bread. Enjoy!