Whip Up This Mushroom Duxelles Recipe for an Elegant Appetizer (2024)

Mushroom duxelles (pronounced duck-SELL) is an intensely flavored combination of finely chopped mushrooms, shallots, and fresh herbs such as thyme or parsley that are slowly cooked to a paste-like consistency. French in origin and named after the marquis d'Uxelles, this mushroom condiment is traditionally used in the preparation of beef Wellington,but it can also be used to flavor soups and sauces as well as to fill omelets and ravioli. It also happens to make for a delectable spread on crostini or toast points. Other creative uses include adding it as a flavor booster for mashed potatoes or mushroom-centric pasta dishes.

What Are Truffles?

The key ingredients in duxelles are mushrooms, butter, salt, and pepper. Any type of mushroom or a combination can be used, including cremini, morel, shiitake, porcini, and white button mushrooms, and ingredient variations can include shallots and/or garlic and chopped fresh parsley.

An important step in making duxelles is to remove as much moisture as possible from the mushrooms, both before cooking and during the process. They need to be cooked long enough so the mushrooms release their moisture and then cook completely until the liquid evaporates. This will prevent any unnecessary sogginess, which is essential to a crisp pastry for beef Wellington.

Whip Up This Mushroom Duxelles Recipe for an Elegant Appetizer (2)

what you'll need for this mushroom duxelles recipe

A Zippy Food Processor
A Clean Dish Towel
A Great Nonstick Skillet

"These were easy and the flavor was great. It took just a few minutes to chop the shallots and pulse the mushrooms in the food processor. If you're using fresh thyme, the leaves make an attractive garnish. I tossed it with some rice and served it with steak." —Diana Rattray

Whip Up This Mushroom Duxelles Recipe for an Elegant Appetizer (6)

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces mushrooms

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

  • 1/4 cup finely chopped shallot

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 1/4 cup dry vermouth, sherry, or white wine

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

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  2. Finely chop the mushrooms in a food processor.

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  3. Scrape the mushrooms onto a clean cotton kitchen towel. (Choose an old towel as the mushrooms will stain it. Do not use terry cloth.)

  4. Over a sink, twist the towel around the mushrooms to wring out as much liquid as possible.

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  5. Heat a large (10-inch) nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat.

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  6. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and swirl to melt and avoid burning.

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  7. Add the mushrooms, shallot, thyme, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of black pepper.

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  8. Cook until the mushrooms release their liquid and continue to cook until the liquid evaporates and the mushrooms appear dry and begin to brown, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

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  9. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and, when melted, add the vermouth.

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  10. Cook until the vermouth has evaporated, stirring frequently. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired.

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How to Store and Freeze

  • You can make the duxelles a day ahead of time so that the assembly of the beef Wellington or other dishes goes more quickly.
  • Duxelles freeze well. This recipe produces more than you need for two Wellingtons, so you can save the remainder for future use. Roll the amount you won't immediately use into a log and wrap in plastic or foil, or spoon portions into an ice cube tray, and freeze. When ready to use, cut a portion from the log or remove a cube.

How to Use Mushroom Duxelles

Mushroom duxelles is commonly used in beef Wellington, but it can also be used in a wide variety of other ways:

  • Topping for crostini, toasts, or even baked potatoes.
  • In omelets.
  • In bread stuffing or used as part of the stuffing mixture for acorn squash.
  • Filling for a tart, savory pie, flaky pastries, or ravioli.
  • Flavorful addition to soups, pasta, or mashed potatoes.
  • Toss with your garlic and butter pasta or cacio e pepe.
  • Assemble a grilled cheese sandwich with a layer of duxelles.
  • Use duxelles as a stuffing for baked sole or flounder.
  • Add mushroom duxelles to your favorite stuffed chicken mixture.
  • Add leftover duxelles to your chicken Marsala sauce.
  • Sprinkle duxelles over a white pizza.

Recipe Variations

  • Add 1 clove of minced garlic along with the finely chopped shallots.
  • Garnish the duxelles with extra fresh thyme leaves or chopped fresh parsley.
  • Spread duxelles on crostini and top with shredded or shaved Gruyère or Parmesan cheese. Place the crostini on a baking sheet and broil just until the cheese is melted.

Beef Wellington

  • French Food
  • French Sides
  • Vegetable Recipes
  • Mushroom Recipes
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
98Calories
6g Fat
7g Carbs
2g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories98
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g8%
Saturated Fat 4g18%
Cholesterol 15mg5%
Sodium 83mg4%
Total Carbohydrate 7g2%
Dietary Fiber 2g6%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 5mg23%
Calcium 14mg1%
Iron 1mg7%
Potassium 258mg5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

  • Mushroom
  • appetizer
  • french
  • birthdays
Whip Up This Mushroom Duxelles Recipe for an Elegant Appetizer (2024)

FAQs

Why is it called duxelle? ›

Duxelles is said to have been created by the 17th-century French chef François Pierre La Varenne (1615–1678) and to have been named after his employer, Nicolas Chalon du Blé, marquis d'Uxelles, maréchal de France. Some classical cookbooks call for dehydrated mushrooms.

How do you know when duxelle is done? ›

Visual cues are the best indicator for when duxelles are done. They're ready when the mushroom mixture is thickened, nearly all the liquid has evaporated, and the mushrooms are starting to stick to the bottom of the pan a tiny bit. Expect this to take about eight minutes.

What is a good substitute for mushroom duxelle? ›

Food: What can I substitute for mushrooms in a Beef Wellington recipe? Bone marrow. This will knock any mushroom duxelle out of the water. Of course, it would also be better with mushrooms too, but bone marrow is the way.

What do mushroom duxelles taste like? ›

If you love mushrooms, you'll love Duxelles. It's an earthy flavored umami bomb for your tastebuds. It's a classic French preparation and finely chopped mixture of mushrooms, herbs, garlic, and shallots cooked in butter.

Should duxelle be dry? ›

An important step in making duxelles is to remove as much moisture as possible from the mushrooms, both before cooking and during the process. They need to be cooked long enough so the mushrooms release their moisture and then cook completely until the liquid evaporates.

How long can you keep duxelles in the fridge? ›

As long as the Duxelles stay covered in the oil it should keep for several months in the fridge. Although at the rate it has been making its way into various recipes, that won't be a concern. This jar will be empty in a few weeks.

Can I freeze mushroom duxelle? ›

You can make and freeze it but it will be wetter when you defrost it, however you can rectify this by heating it in a medium saucepan or frying pan over a medium to high heat, stirring frequently, to evaporate the excess moisture.

How to keep a wellington from getting soggy? ›

Phyllo provides a moisture barrier, preventing the puff pastry from getting soggy. A double layer of plastic wrap makes it easier to wrap up the tenderloin.

What are duxelles in english? ›

dux·​elles ˌdük-ˈsel. (ˌ)dü-ˈsel. : a garnish or stuffing made especially of finely chopped sautéed mushrooms.

What is the best mushroom to cook with? ›

Shiitake mushrooms are a versatile and affordable choice with more flavor and more health benefits than agaricus bisporus varieties. With their meaty yet buttery texture and rich, umami taste, shiitake mushrooms add depth and complexity to various dishes. Their earthy taste stands out when they are dried.

What is the most luxurious mushroom? ›

Matsutake, one of the most expensive mushrooms, can cost up to $1,000 per kilogram. The Italian White Alba Truffle is the world's most expensive mushroom, with a price of $330 per gram. In Japan, people pay up to $600 for a single Matsutake mushroom. Morel mushrooms can cost approximately $254 per kilogram.

What is the tastiest mushroom in the world? ›

Shiitake mushrooms have a meaty, rich flavor packed with umami. They also have a texture that's the perfect amount of chew without being tough. Added to soups, stocks, stir fries, and just about anything else, they deserve credit as arguably the most dependably good tasting cultivated mushroom.

What is the most popular gourmet mushroom? ›

Oyster and Shiitake Mushrooms

They are also probably the most common types of gourmet mushrooms on the market. Both oyster and shiitake mushrooms grow naturally on decaying wood in the forest, but both can easily be grown in controlled settings.

What is the history of Duxelle? ›

Duxelles is said to have been created by the 17th-century French chef François Pierre La Varenne (1615–1678) and to have been named after his employer, Nicolas Chalon du Blé, Marquis d'Uxelles, Maréchal de France.

Why is the dish called Wellington? ›

It is generally agreed that the dish was created in celebration of the first Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, and his victory at the Battle of Waterloo on June 18 1815. The Duke was given his title after defeating Napoleon Bonaparte the year before, and not long after he became Prime Minister.

Who invented Duxelle? ›

Duxelles is an au gratin preparation made with a mixture of mushrooms, onions, and toasty buttered breadcrumbs. In the 17th century French chef François Pierre la Varenne created the dish and named it after his employer, the Marquis d'Uxelles.

Why is beef Wellington so special? ›

It Consistently Combines Multiple Ingredients

For example, it's quite common to wrap the pâté and duxelles coated steak with parma ham to retain the meat's inner moisture. What's more striking is that all these ingredients combine in every slice and bite of beef wellington.

References

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