wild mushroom and stiltongalette

[Note: This galette got some fresh photos in 2019 because the 2006 ones were pretty, uh, rustic.] About five years ago, my best friend decided to host Christmas Eve dinner at her new house, and I came over to help but, whew, we had set out a lot of cooking for ourselves. We made this

[Note: This galette got some fresh photos in 2019 because the 2006 ones were pretty, uh, “rustic.”]

About five years ago, my best friend decided to host Christmas Eve dinner at her new house, and I came over to help but, whew, we had set out a lot of cooking for ourselves. We made this mushroom galette and I remember thinking at the time it was one of the most elaborate things I’d ever made, but what I really meant was “pain in the ass.” It has all of these, well, steps, directions you’re not sure are utterly necessary or bettering of the end-product but you follow them because you don’t want to find out the other way that you should have just RTFR-ed.

a mix of mushrooms

This dish didn’t reappear in my life until a year ago June at my bridal shower, in the form of a card she’d tucked into a recipe book my sister compiled from guests. I laughed when I looked at it: why would anyone ever make such a pesky recipe again?

work butter into dry ingredientsadd liquids and stir to combineready to chillrehydrate dried porciniseverything preppedcook scallionscook mushroomslet cool slightly and add cheesefill and fold sides over fillingegg wash the crust

Me, it turns out. Making it again, I realized it was, yes, a little fussy but also just so good. A little luxurious. And a treat for people who like strong flavors — blue cheese and all of the mushrooms you can find. I think of this like a great side dish for a dinner party; it’s rustic but once you taste it, it’s clear that it could easily upstage any rack of lamb or turkey. And for a wiped-out Wednesday? Well, 10 p.m. is never too late to have the most delicious part of your day.

wild mushroom and stilton galette

Mushroom and Stilton Galette

2019 updates: I’ve sped up the galette dough process, putting it in line with my other galette recipes. As for the mushrooms, I buy a pound of whatever looks good. Sometimes I’ll use a full pound of brown (cremini) and it works as well.
    For the pastry
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 8 tablespoons (1/2 cup, 4 ounces, or 115 grams) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 1/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup ice water
    • For the filling
  • 1/4 ounce dried wild mushrooms, such as chanterelles, porcini or shiitakes
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup sliced green onions
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 1/2 pound assorted fresh wild mushrooms, such as chanterelles, porcini and shiitakes, brushed clean and large mushrooms thinly sliced
  • 1/2 pound fresh button mushrooms, brushed clean
    • and thinly sliced
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 5 ounces Stilton or other good-quality blue cheese
    • To finish
  • 1 large egg yolk, whisked with 1/2 teaspoon water (optional)
Make the pastry: Whisk together the flour and salt in a large bowl. Sprinkle bits of butter over dough and using a pastry blender, cut it in until the mixture resembles coarse meal, with the biggest pieces of butter the size of tiny peas. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, lemon juice and water and add this to the butter-flour mixture. With your fingertips or a wooden spoon, mix in the liquid until large lumps form. Pat the lumps into a ball; do not overwork the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours, until very cold.

Meanwhile, make the filling: Place the dried mushrooms in a small bowl and add the boiling water. Let stand for 30 minutes until softened. Drain the mushrooms and mince finely.

Heat oven to 400°F.

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the green onions and sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, rosemary and thyme and continue to cook, stirring, for 1 minute more. Increase the heat to high, add the fresh and rehydrated mushrooms, season well with salt and pepper, and sauté until the mushrooms are tender and the liquid they released has completely evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool.

On a floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 12-inch round. Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet. Crumble the blue cheese into a bowl, add the cooled mushrooms and stir well. Spread the mixture over the dough, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border. Fold the border over the mushrooms and cheese, pleating the edge to make it fit. The center will be open.

If you’d like, brush the outside of the dough with the egg wash for a deeper, shinier color.

Bake until golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, let stand for 5 minutes, then slide the galette onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges and serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

Do ahead: Galette keeps well in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.

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