Fusilli with Comté and Sautéed Chanterelles

Comté Sauce
1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups Half and Half
2 cups grated Comté cheese (or Gruyère)
1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
Kosher salt and several grinds black pepper

Sautéed Chanterelle Mushrooms
1 oz. dried chanterelles or porcini or mixed wild mushrooms (See Market tip.)
1 1/4 cups boiling water
1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter plus more if needed
1 1/2 tbsp canola oil plus more if needed
8 oz Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced thinly
1 1/2 tsp chopped garlic
Kosher salt

 Pasta
1 pd fusilli (or rotini, penne, gemelli- See Market tip.)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 to 3 tsp chopped fresh rosemary plus 4 or more rosemary sprigs

1.For Comté sauce, in a small, heavy saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, whisking constantly, but being careful not to let the flour color. Add the Half and Half and raise the heat to medium. Whisk constantly until mixture thickens and comes to a simmer, 4 or 5 minutes or more. (Do not let the mixture come to a boil as it could make the sauce break down.) Remove the pot from the heat and stir in cheese, a little at a time, until all has been added. Stir in the fresh rosemary. Season sauce with salt and several grinds of black pepper. Cover and set aside. (Sauce can be prepared 1 day ahead; cool, cover the pan, and refrigerate. Reheat, stirring, over medium low heat.)

2.For sautéed mushrooms, place the dried mushrooms in a bowl, and cover with 1 1/4 cups boiling water. Soak until softened, 20 to 25 minutes. Then strain the chanterelles in a sieve lined with a double layer of paper towels and set over a bowl. Press down with the back of a wooden spoon on the mushrooms to extract as much liquid as possible. You should get 1/2 to 2/3 cup of liquid. Reserve the mushrooms and the soaking liquid.

3.In a medium large, heavy skillet, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons each butter and canola oil until hot. Then add the sliced Baby Bellas and stir and cook until they are tender, 4 to 5 minutes or more, adding extra butter and canola oil in equal amounts if needed. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, a minute more. Add the chanterelles and their liquid and cook, stirring often, until the liquid has evaporated, 3 to 4 minutes or more. Stir in the fresh rosemary and season to taste with scant 1/2  teaspoon salt and several grinds of black pepper. (Mushrooms can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Cover skillet and leave at room temperature. Reheat over medium low heat, stirring.)

4.When ready to serve cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of water filled 2/3 full to a boil and add the fusilli and 3 teaspoons salt. Cook according to package directions and when al dente, tender to the bite, drain in a colander. Return the pasta to the pot in which it was cooked and add the Comté sauce. Toss well and season with more salt and pepper to taste.

5.Mound pasta in four shallow bowls and garnish each serving with a mound of mushrooms. Sprinkle mushrooms and pasta with additional chopped rosemary and garnish each serving with a rosemary sprig.

Serves 4 with large servings or 5 with smaller portions.

Market tips:

My local whole food sells Vivido brand dried Chanterelles, dried porcini, and dried mixed wild mushrooms for $6.99.  You can also order the Vivido brand online through Amazon.

Fusilli, corkscrew pasta, works particularly well in this recipe since the pasta has many crevices that hold the sauce well.

Copyright Betty Rosbottom 2024