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Cèpes à la bordelaise

Name: Cèpes à la bordelaise
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 27 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 500 g fresh cèpes (Boletus edulis), caps sliced, stems reserved; 60 g of the reserved stems, finely chopped; 2 tsp shallot, finely chopped; 2 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs; oil, for frying (Escoffier gives no quantity; enough to coat the pan generously); salt and pepper; a squeeze of lemon juice; 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Sliced cèpes (porcini) seared in very hot oil until well browned, then tossed for a few minutes with their own chopped stems, shallot and fresh breadcrumbs, and finished with lemon and parsley. Escoffier's recipe, scaled from his 250 g unit.

Editorial illustration of the documented recipe; not a photograph of a kitchen-tested result.

Servings: 4
Preparation: 15 min
Cooking: 12 min
Total: 27 min
Difficulty: Easy

Equipment

Large heavy frying pan

Servings4

Ingredients

500 gfresh cèpes (Boletus edulis), caps sliced, stems reserved
60 gof the reserved stems, finely chopped
2 tspshallot, finely chopped
2 tbspfresh breadcrumbs
oil, for frying (Escoffier gives no quantity; enough to coat the pan generously)
salt and pepper
a squeeze of lemon juice
1 tbspflat-leaf parsley, chopped

Shopping list

Method

Clean the cèpes. Escoffier wipes closed young ones without washing; fully opened ones are washed and dried well. Slice the caps and chop the stems.
Why Mushrooms soak up water, which stops them browning.
Season the slices with salt and pepper. Heat the oil until very hot and sauté the cèpes until well browned.
Timer · 8 min8:00
Near the end add the chopped stems, the shallot and the breadcrumbs, and toss together for a few minutes.
Why Escoffier explains that the breadcrumbs are there to soak up excess oil.
Timer · 3 min3:00
Turn into a warm dish and finish with a little lemon juice and the parsley.

Substitutions

Cèpes → Other firm wild or cultivated mushrooms (chestnut, king oyster); the method works the same.
Breadcrumbs (gluten-free) → Leave them out and drain off excess oil.

Common mistakes

Crowding the pan: the cèpes stew in their juice instead of browning.
Adding the shallot early: it burns in the hot oil.

Storage & reheating

Best eaten at once.

Safety

Eat only wild mushrooms identified with certainty by an expert; never rely on pictures (including this atlas's) to identify mushrooms. Cook wild mushrooms thoroughly.

Allergens

Gluten

Check labels: stock, bacon and sauces can contain further allergens.

Dietary

vegan

In the Bordeaux manner

Escoffier's Guide culinaire gives four ways with cèpes; à la bordelaise, in the Bordeaux manner, is the first and simplest. He uses only oil, the mushrooms' own stems, shallot, breadcrumbs, lemon and parsley. His other versions, with cream, Provençal-style or Rossini with truffle, build on it.

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Hot oil and the stems

The caps are sliced and fried in very hot oil until well coloured. The stems, chopped, go in only at the end with the shallot, so they add flavour without stewing. The spoonful of breadcrumbs absorbs the excess oil before the dish is served.

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How it connects

Wine region

origin Bordeaux

Recipe

related Stuffed mushrooms with duxelles
related Risotto ai funghi porcini