If you don’t know, duxelles is just French for “mushrooms cooked down into paste”. Mushroom paste?
Blech. No wonder they made up a fancy-sounding word for it.
But it is yummy if you’re into mushrooms. If you’re not, I completely understand because I have hated mushrooms my whole life until very recently when I had them Spanish-style braised in sherry and garlic. I was transfixed and never again will I turn my nose up at a mushroom… unless it’s too mushroomy.
You can use duxelles as a stuffing inside butterflied chicken breasts or pork chops. It’s required when making Beef Wellington. It would also be lovely in an omelet. And as a matter of fact, it goes great with cream cheese in puff pastry, which should be obvious because really what doesn’t go great with cream cheese in puff pastry?
Short answer: nothing.
BUT. WAIT. STOP. THE. PRESSES.
Before we go any further, I need you to imagine that you hold in your hand a jar of that sweet and spicy Nectar of the Gods known as jalapeno jelly. Now imagine it used as a dip for these crisp, savory puff pastry nibblies.
Great. Now we can all relax.
- 8 ounces mushrooms, minced
- 1 large shallot, minced
- 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons sherry or dry white wine
- 3 ounces cream cheese
- 1 pound puff pastry
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Melt the butter over high heat and add the mushrooms, shallots, and thyme.
- Cook for about 5 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Add the sherry and cook another few minutes.
- Remove from heat and let cool.
- Sprinkle a smooth work surface with flour and roll one sheet of puff pastry out into a rectangle, about 9″x12″.
- Cut into 12 squares.
- Put 1 tablespoon of the duxelles and 1 teaspoon of cream cheese in the center of each square.
- Moisten the edges with water and pull up the corners of the pastry to make a little packet.
- Put them on the parchment-lined sheet and bake 20-25 minutes.
- Repeat with the other sheet of pastry and the remaining filling.
- Cool 10 minutes before serving.
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{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
UM HELL YES. need these in my belly.
YES. You do.
Question about the yield–
The instructions say to cut the first sheet of puff pastry into 12 squares, then put 1 T. duxelles and 1 t. cream cheese on each of the 12 squares. Then, repeat with a 2nd sheet of puff pastry. But the yield says 12 servings. Isn’t that 24? Will the filling ingredients be enough for 24 or should we double them?
It makes 24. We’re using the new recipe indexer thingy and the “Serves” field is just a drop-down menu with only the options of 1,2,4,6,8,10,12. Pretty dumb. I’ll start clarifying the actual yield somewhere else in the recipes.
Thanks for asking!
OMG, as the kids say, mushrooms and thyme are one of my favorite combinations and these look awesome. I’m making them and soon!
Yay! You’re gonna love them, Diane!
These look great. Do you think they could be prepared in advance, then frozen, and thawed/cooked on the actual holiday? Signed: the person who will already be cooking far too many things that day.
Hi Veronika!
I know what you mean about cooking too many things in one day.
I think these would be just fine if you wanted to assemble them and then refreeze without baking. I’d just put them frozen, right into the oven, and add an extra 5-10 minutes cooking time.
I did try this, though, too and it worked: bake the day before, cool, and store in a container on the counter overnight, and reheat in a 350 oven for about 7 minutes. Not sure if that will work for your schedule, though.
Good luck! Let me know how it goes if you get a chance!
Hilah,
First of all you are doing great and it is wonderful you have pulled out of your blahs to phoenix so successfully. Missed seeing you in California this year. Hopefully, next year.
If you like mushrooms so much, you may consider attending (as my guest, if you want) the Fungi Federation of Santa Cruz Festival the weekend of 13-15 January.
It is, arguably, the king of mushroom orgies in the world and occurs once a year.
Let me know if you have an interest.
Check out the ffsc website.
All the best,
Your fan,
Reed
Hi Reed! Great to hear from you!
I checked out the FFSC website. Looks like a lot of fun. I also happen to be a botany-nerd and even though, true, fungi and plants are two different kingdoms, I do like to learn about fungi, too.
This January, though, I’ve already got a trip planned so I can’t take any more time, but maybe the following year!
Thanks for letting me know about it.
yours,
h
I like your recipe and your rapid knife skills in the video were killer. I hope to gain that kind of speed someday. When I made my duxelle I wanted a little bourbon-y goodness in place of the sherry and blended the cream cheese with a little blue cheese. It was like a hella good earthy boozy cheesey ‘splosion in my mouth. And it makes a great starter to a meal that ends with Bourbon pecan pie. No need to change up on the boozing. Keep on cookin’ girl.
Hey Tom!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the blue cheese and bourbon idea! I don’t think I’d have ever thought of that combo but now that you mention it I can’t get it outta mah head.
Thanks, buddy!
I am making Beef Wellington for Christmas dinner. How far in advance can I make the duxelles?
Hi Sandy! It will keep fine in the fridge for up to 5 days. Merry Christmas!
Just made these for a bridal shower tea I am catering, and they turned out perfect and tasty! Thank you! From Livermore California…
That’s wonderful to hear, Joanne! Thanks for writing and thanks for letting me know where you’re writing from. It’s always nice to know.