How to make a proper homemade mushroom sauce step by step
Creamy, aromatic, and full of flavor. A hearty mushroom sauce is a symbol of the Czech culinary summer and autumn. Learn how to prepare it so that it is perfectly creamy and full of forest aroma.
The magic of the forest on your plate
Finding a good catch in the forest is a joy, but the real magic only begins in the kitchen. Traditional mushroom sauce is one of the highlights of Czech cuisine. However, for the dish to be a success and for the sauce to have the right depth, smoothness, and consistency, you need to follow a few tried-and-tested steps. Forget about instant substitutes. We will show you how to conjure up a masterpiece from fresh mushrooms, butter, and cream that your family will fall in love with.
How to choose and prepare the best mushrooms?
The key to success is, of course, high-quality ingredients. A mix of wild mushrooms is ideal. Porcini mushrooms give the sauce a firm texture, chanterelles add a beautiful color and crunch, and bay boletes provide an intense aroma. If you don't have a trip to the forest planned, cultivated brown button mushrooms or oyster mushrooms from Rohlik will also work wonderfully.
Sauce preparation in a nutshell
Cleaning and slicing
Dry-clean the mushrooms and slice them into thicker pieces so they stand out beautifully in the sauce.
Butter base
Sauté the onion in real butter with crushed caraway seeds, which will support the digestibility of the mushrooms.
Creamy finale
Pour in the broth, thicken with a smooth roux, and finally soften with high-quality 31% cream.
Step-by-step recipe
Fragrant start on butter
Melt two tablespoons of quality Miil butter in a saucepan and let the finely chopped onion translucent. Add cleaned and sliced fresh mushrooms and a teaspoon of crushed caraway seeds. Let the mushrooms sauté for a while until they release their juices and start to smell beautiful.
Simmering and flavor base
Once the mushrooms soften, dust them with a tablespoon of Pernerka plain flour and sauté briefly to create a smooth base. Then, gradually pour in warm vegetable or beef broth while stirring constantly. Let the sauce simmer gently over low heat for approximately 15 to 20 minutes to allow the flavors to combine perfectly.
Creamy touch
Now it is time to soften the sauce. Pour Mlékárna Kunín whipping cream into the sauce. The high-fat cream ensures that the sauce does not curdle and gets a velvety texture. Let it simmer gently for another 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and a few drops of lemon juice to balance the rich flavor.
💡 Chef's secret tip: How to get the perfect consistency?
If you want to take the sauce to the next level, add a small knob of cold butter at the very end of cooking and just let it melt into the sauce (do not boil). The sauce will get a beautiful gloss and an even richer flavor. And if you like tangier notes, try a teaspoon of quality wine vinegar instead of lemon.
💚 What to do
- Use real butter and cream with a fat content of at least 31%.
- Add ground caraway seeds, which help with digesting heavier mushrooms.
- Serve with traditional bread dumplings or Carlsbad dumplings.
❌ What to avoid
- Never wash mushrooms with water, they would lose all their flavor.
- Do not use low-fat cream, the sauce would be thin and could curdle.
- Do not rush cooking the flour, the sauce would have an unpleasant floury aftertaste.
Everything for your mushroom feast
Craving a hearty mushroom soup? You don't have to run to the forest with a basket right away. At Rohlik, we have fresh mushrooms, quality cream, and fresh dumplings ready to be delivered right to your doorstep.