Duxelles Recipe • A Delicious Mushroom Spread! | Club Foody (2024)

FAQs

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.

The earthy flavor of mushrooms is concentrated by cooking them down in a mixture of butter and shallots, then white wine and finally cream is added, creating a thick, rich sauce that is an essential component of classic dishes like Beef Wellington. Or you can just eat it with a spoon.

(Yes, you can totally freeze wine for cooking.) So what can you do with duxelles? All kinds of delicious things! It will keep in the fridge for a week or so and it can be frozen for a few months.

Duxelles (French: [dyksɛl]) is a French cuisine term that refers to a mince of mushrooms, onions, herbs (such as thyme or parsley), and black pepper, sautéed in butter and reduced to a paste.

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.

Cook the mushrooms until they release all their liquid

That's because the main ingredient of duxelles is mushrooms, which have a very high percentage of moisture. If they retain too much of it after being cooked in the pan, it will leak out onto the pastry.

Some mushrooms known for their rich flavors are chicken of the woods, truffles, morels, porcini, shiitake and portobello mushrooms. Many of these delicious gourmet mushrooms are also some of the most expensive mushrooms in the world, as they're not easy to cultivate.

Much of this recipe can be prepared in advance: the mushroom duxelles can be made up to 3 days ahead, the seared meat can be stored in the refrigerator for several hours up to one day, and the sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

The Origins of the Name. Duxelle is often spelled Duxelles, and as you've likely noticed, this food item is capitalized. Why? The food is named after the French Marquis d'Uxelles, who lived during the 17th and 18th centuries.

What are duxelles in English? ›

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

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.

Beef Wellington is a steak dish of English origin, made out of fillet steak coated with pâté (often pâté de foie gras) and duxelles, wrapped in puff pastry, then baked.

Grill the mushrooms for 4-5 minutes per side (8-10 minutes total). The mushrooms will darken as they cook and the mushrooms will relax and open slightly. You can always check the texture near the end of the cook to see if they are done to your preference.

Cut 4 (2-inch) vents in top of pastry. Cook's Tip: Use any excess dough to decorate Wellington. Bake in 425°F oven 35 to 50 minutes or until golden brown and instant-read thermometer inserted into center of roast registers 135°F for medium rare; 150°F for medium. Transfer Beef Wellington to carving board.

It's impossible to know how well-done a Beef Wellington is until you cut into it but, as we know, beef is a meat that can be eaten pink, and Beef Wellington is a dish famously served rare.

Beef Wellington is one of the most luxurious recipes I can think of. With a crisp puff pastry shell encasing mushroom paste and prosciutto and a perfectly pink beef tenderloin center, each slice is a work of art. Even though it's fancy, you don't have to go to a restaurant to have really good beef Wellington.