Creamy Mushroom Sauce

 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 small onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 12 ounces mushrooms (brown or white), sliced
• Salt and ground pepper to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme)
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons fresh parsley

Instructions:

1. Sauté the onion in butter until softened, about 3-5 minutes.
2. Add the mushrooms, salt, and pepper. Cook until the mushrooms have released their juices. Add the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Add the wine to deglaze and loosen any bits off the pan. Simmer for a few minutes until the wine has almost evaporated.
4. Add the chicken broth and cream. Simmer for 5 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced by half.
5. To thicken the sauce further, combine the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water (or broth) and mix well. Add the cornstarch mixture to the broth a little bit at a time to reach the desired consistency. You may not need all of the cornstarch mixture.
6. Let simmer for 1 minute.
7. Season with parsley, salt, and pepper to taste.

Tips:

• For a richer flavor, use dark mushrooms such as crimini or portobello mushrooms.
• If you don't have fresh thyme, you can use dried thyme. Just use half as much dried thyme as fresh thyme.
• To make a vegan version of this sauce, use vegan butter and plant-based heavy cream.
• You can also add other vegetables to this sauce, such as spinach, kale, or peas. Just add them to the broth and cream mixture and simmer until tender.
• Serve this sauce over pasta, rice, or poultry.