Mushroom Sauce

Here's a family favourite to go on top of our gluten free pasta.

Who can eat it?
Vegetarians and gluten intolerant. It also comes in an egg free version.

Who can't eat it?
Vegans, coeliacs, the dairy intolerant (it might just work with a creamy milk substitute but I suspect it would separate) and those sensitive to the onion family. As there is no specific diet for those with colitis and Crohns or intolerance of yeasts you are going to have to ask these people if it's OK with them, for some it will be, for others it wont and it may depend on how well they are managing at the time.

Ingredients 

1 red onion finely sliced
2 tablespoons of oil
either 500g of brown mushrooms or 250g of brown mushrooms and 300g of Quorn pieces
2 table spoons of brandy
2 teaspoons of smoked paprika
1 clove of very finely chopped garlic
1 cup of stock
3 heaped table spoons of creme fraiche
Lots of finely chopped parsley


Chop the mushrooms into sixth or quarters.
Heat the oil in a wok or skillet and gently fry the onion until it starts to loose it's colour (about 2minutes).
Add the mushrooms and continue frying for one minute then add the brandy. I've tried this without brandy or with other spirits, it kind of works with sherry but trust me that it needs brandy or if you can spare it, cognac. Continue to saute the mushrooms and onion for another 6 to 8 minutes.
If you are using Quorn add it now, stir and then add the smoked paprika. Stir the mixture until evenly coated with the paprika then add the garlic and the stock. 
Keep the mixture simmering until the fluid has reduced by half (about 10 minutes) then quickly add the creme fraiche (I use half-fat creme in a vain attempt to keep the calories down, but be careful some half fat stuff is thicken with 'cornflour' which may in fact come not from corn but from wheat!)
Bring the whole lot back up to a simmer then serve over your perfectly prepared gluten-free pasta. Give each dish a good sized garnish of parsley.

Quorn contains egg which isn't suitable for all, that why I've given you two versions, just in case. I've said at the beginning that we have it with pasta but I'm sure it would work well with rice, potatoes, millet or quinoa.

My youngest daughter swears she hates mushrooms and thinks that this dish is full of meat, I realise that it's a little deceitful but the rest of us love this dish so we haven't put her right yet, I think plenty of other meat eaters might also make the same mistake! 

Anyway, now I've put back on any calories I might have shaken off with that walk earlier it's time to settle down with my other passion, crochet. Night night. xx