Mushroom Bourguignon

Say it’s late January/early February and your winter is kinda miserable. You don’t want to lose yourself to the winter blues, and you haven’t quite given up, but you just want to lazily drape yourself over each day, just enough to say you got through it.

It’s time for mushroom bourguignon. It looks how you feel, but the flavor will give your spirit the warm hug it craves, while stimulating your liveliness.

Mushroom Bourguignon

by Melissa Clark

Ingredients
6 tablespoons butter or extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
2 pounds mixed mushrooms, such as portobello, cremini, white button, shiitake or oyster, cut into 1-inch chunks (about 10 cups)
8 ounces peeled pearl onions (2 cups), larger ones cut in half
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large leek or 2 small leeks, white and light green parts, diced (1 1/2 cups)
2 carrots, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves (2 minced, 1 grated to a paste)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups dry red wine
1 ½ cups beef, mushroom or vegetable broth
1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce, plus more to taste
3 large fresh thyme branches or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
3 to 4 ounces chanterelle or oyster mushrooms, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
Smoked paprika, for serving
Polenta, egg noodles or mashed potatoes, for serving
Chopped flat-leaf parsley, for serving