Porcini Mushroom

Traditionally, this flavorful sauté would be composed entirely of fresh cèpes (we know them better by their Italian name, porcini) gathered from the forests around Bordeaux. In this recipe, dried porcini mushrooms are supplemented with fresh large button mushrooms.

When making the following dish, start one or two days ahead to allow time for marinating the pheasant and making stock. The extra time involved, much of it unattended, is necessary to develop the rich flavors of this savory pie. For those who want to forgo the pheasant, the pie would also be delicious (and less time-consuming) made with chicken. Substitute 1 pound chicken thighs, 1 1/2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breasts, and chicken broth; marinate the chicken and prepare the pie in the manner outlined below.

Watch how to prepare and carve your bird with our streaming video demonstration.

Hazelnuts and wild mushrooms - popular ingredients from Oregon and Washington - add terrific flavor and texture to this sophisticated stuffing.

The porcini mushroom soaking liquid moistens this stuffing from Rochelle Palermo Torres.

"Ever since I tried the polenta with mushrooms at Vinci in Chicago, I've made a point of stopping there when I'm in town," says Colby L. Crabtree of Lexington, Kentucky. "The dish is so popular that the management counts the orders. Every time they hit ten thousand, the guest who requested it gets a free trip to Italy. I’d be happy just to 'win' the recipe."

Though you may associate bocconcini with the tiny mozzarella balls sold at Italian markets and cheese shops, the word simply means "little bites" (the veal in this stew is cut into bite-size pieces). When purchasing dried porcini, look for packages containing large, flat, recognizable slices of the mushroom. Active time: 35 min Start to finish: 1 3/4 hr

At The Riviera restaurant in Dallas, this delicious main course is teamed with steamed asparagus and fingerling potatoes roasted with rosemary.

The unusual combination of mushrooms and dried apricots makes for a delicious and earthy soda bread.

If an herbes de Provence blend isn't available, use a combination of dried thyme, basil, savory, and fennel seeds. Dried porcini can be found at Italian markets, specialty foods stores, and many supermarkets.

If you love spaghetti and meatballs, then you'll love this upmarket rendition featuring perciatelli-long, hollow pasta. The noodles are topped with a rich tomato and porcini mushroom sauce, and meatballs made with ground veal, Italian sausage and more porcini. Start things off with an antipasto platter of olive, assorted marinated vegetables and cured meats. Offer breadsticks alongside, and pour a full-bodied Chianti.

Start making this at least one day ahead.

This hearty winter entrée can be prepared several days ahead. Veal brisket is the boned veal breast. If you don't have a roasting pan large enough to hold both briskets, divide the ingredients in half and bake in two pans. If the veal is difficult to find, substitute one 5-pound flat-cut beef brisket and roast until tender, about 3 1/2 hours. Leftovers freeze well and make great sandwiches.

Pennsylvania is now a national center for cultivated exotic or "specialty" mushrooms like shiitake and crimini, but early colonists found plenty of familiar wild mushrooms growing free for the picking in the forests of their new world. The tradition finds expression in this mushroom-lover's dressing, which blends both wild and cultivated fungi for maximum flavor.

Delicious served with bread or crackers, these cheeses are also a wonderful addition to pizzas, pastas and salads.