Mushrooms A La Grecque Recipe

Mushrooms a la grecque is a cold mushroom dish that is served in a spicy tomato sauce and gorgeous served with a salad or mopped up with crusty bread.

I have been trying to recreate the perfect mushrooms a la grecque recipe for a long time. Mushrooms a la grecque is a mushroom recipe that brings back memories of holidays in France as a child. My parents used to rent houses or gîtes in French villages. It was a great way to learn the French language and more about village life. To get our food we would visit the local shops and markets. Our mum used to let us order baguettes and we felt a sense of achievement when we did so successfully. The baguettes were carried back to the gîte triumphantly.

We learnt what the different shop names meant by looking in the windows. The names had a magical ring about them, la charcuterie, la fromagerie, we used to practice the names. Our favourite was la confiseur or the sweet shop. Our pocket money was spent on flavoured chewing gum. It came in all flavours, lemon, raspberry, strawberry and many more. Being used to mint flavour we found this fascinating.

The delicatessen was a shop we visited regularly. My mum used to buy selections of their salad dishes to eat with our lunches. Salad was our usual lunch on holidays as it was easy to prepare. There is nothing worse than spending all your holiday cooking. Mum let us pick a salad dish each and one day I choose mushrooms a la grecque.

For a mushroom lover, this dish was a revelation. Mushrooms a la grecque is a cold mushroom dish that is served in a spicy tomato sauce and gorgeous served with a salad or mopped up with crusty bread. Mushrooms are the star of this dish. The sauce sets the mushrooms off with its rich tomato flavour.

Ingredients for Mushrooms a la Grecque

Not sure what to buy? Here is what you need to know.

• Mushrooms – I recommend using white button mushrooms as you can quarter them which looks nice. If they are really small you can use them whole. Alternatively, you can use closed-cup mushrooms and slice them.
• Onion – Any white onion will work fine
• Tomato Puree – Use a good quality tomato puree, concentrated if you can, you will be able to taste the difference.
• Chicken stock – homemade chicken stock tastes much nicer but a stock cube works just as well.
• White Wine – If you don’t want to buy a bottle just to use a little bit in this recipe, you can substitute white wine vinegar instead
• Bay leaves and peppercorns – These add a subtle background flavour. Don’t forget to remove them before serving.
• Salt and black pepper – for seasoning

What does a la Grecque mean?

A la Grecque translates to in the Greek manner and is the term for vegetables cooked in wine, oil, herbs and spices. Lemon juice is sometimes added as well. It is then allowed to marinate and served cold. This version also has tomato puree which adds a lovely flavour.

Cool and keep in a closed container until needed. The taste is best if you let it warm up to room temperature before serving, so take it out of the fridge half an hour before eating if you can.

Mushrooms a la Grecque recipe tips

Here are some tips you might find useful when making mushrooms a la grecque

• Read the recipe all the way through before you start. This can stop you from making unnecessary mistakes.
• Check the seasoning before you cook the sauce so you can adjust as needed
• Although the recipe uses an oven, you can also thicken the sauce in a pan on the hob. Just add everything into the pan and cook on medium heat until it reduces. This will take about fifteen to twenty minutes.
• A little lemon juice can be stirred into the sauce at the end if a little extra bite is needed.

Can I make this recipe ahead of time?

If you are planning to use this dish as part of a buffet or as a BBQ side, the recipe can be made ahead and the mushrooms stored in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days.

If you like this recipe …

you might also like:

• Pate stuffed mushrooms
• Tomato and cheese stuffed Mushrooms

Mushrooms a la Grecque – Step-by-Step Picture Recipe

 For a printer-friendly version see the recipe card at the end of this post.

Ingredients

This is what you need to serve four as a small starter or part of a salad. It creates a dessert bowl full.

• 225 g (8 oz) button or white cap mushrooms
• 1 onion
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 peppercorns
• 2 tbsp dry white wine or white wine vinegar
• 150 ml ( ¼ pint) chicken stock
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Essential Equipment

• Chopping board
• Sharp knife
• Pan
• Colander
• Frying pan
• Oven proof dish
• Measuring jug
• Tablespoon

Step by Step Instructions

Step One:

If the mushrooms are small leave them whole. Otherwise, cut them through the stems into halves or quarters so they are a uniform size.

Step Two

Put a pan of water on to boil. When it is boiling add the mushrooms to the water and blanch for 2 minutes. Blanch just means boiling in water and it helps to preserve their colour, flavour and texture.

Step Three

Drain the mushrooms from the water using a colander and arrange the mushrooms in an oven-proof dish.

Step Four

Preheat the oven to 170, Gas 3, 325 F

Step Five

Peel the onion and dice it into small pieces.

Next, heat the frying pan over a medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the olive oil (tbsp). When the oil is hot add the diced onion.

Fry, stirring often, until softened and translucent.

Add the onions to the casserole dish with the mushrooms.

Now add the peppercorns (5), bay leaves (2), chicken stock (150ml), and tomato puree (2tsp) into the oven-proof dish. Season with salt and pepper.

Stir the ingredients so the sauce gets mixed.

Step Six

Cover the dish and cook in the oven for 35 – 40 minutes. The sauce should thicken.

Step Seven

Remove from oven and leave to cool. Remove the bay leaves and peppercorns before serving.

Serving Suggestions and Flavour Variations

Serve this classic mushroom dish as part of a salad, a light lunch or a starter. It is nice with crusty bread and a green salad. It could also be part of a salad buffet or mezze spread. Sprinkle paprika and fresh parsley on top when serving to make it look nice.

Why not use mushrooms a la grecque as a side dish at your next barbecue party? It makes a change from the usual coleslaw and potato salad options and would also work well on top of a burger.

If you like, add some fresh herbs, rosemary or thyme work well, to add extra flavour. A splash of lemon juice adds an extra bite.

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Mushrooms a la Grecque Printable Recipe

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Did you try this recipe?

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Other mushroom recipes

If you are interested in mushroom dishes why not try goats’ cheese, spring onion and garlic stuffed mushrooms. Large stuffed mushrooms are always great for a starter. If you prefer a salad then bacon, egg and mushroom salad is very tasty.