Mushroom Julienne (Gribnoy zhyul'en)
Грибной жюльен Gribnoy zhyul'enSay it: greeb-NOY zhool-YEN
Mushroom julienne is a Russian take on a French name: in Russia, 'julienne' means a small creamy bake, not a cut. Sliced mushrooms and soft onion are sautéed in butter, bound with sour cream and flour, spooned into individual cocottes and covered with cheese, then baked until the top blisters and browns. It appears on holiday tables and in every Soviet-era restaurant, served scalding hot with bread for scooping. The flavour is deep, savoury and mild, the texture creamy beneath a crisp cheese crust.
Mushroom Julienne (Gribnoy zhyul'en)
Грибной жюльен, Gribnoy zhyul'en
Pronounced greeb-NOY zhool-YEN
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Level
- Easy
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, milk. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the mushroom base
For the cream sauce
To finish
Method
Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel, trim the stems and slice them about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick. Dice the onion, grate the cheese and chop the dill.
Melt 2 tbsp (28 g) butter in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring, until soft and translucent but not coloured.
Raise the heat to medium-high, add the mushrooms, salt and pepper, and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring now and then, until the mushrooms first release their liquid, it evaporates, and the edges turn golden.
Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and stir for 1-2 minutes, until no dry flour remains and the pan smells toasted rather than raw.
Lower the heat, stir in the sour cream and cream, add the nutmeg and simmer gently for 3-4 minutes, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust the salt.
Butter four small cocottes or ramekins (about 1 cup/240 ml each) and divide the mushroom mixture between them, levelling the tops with the back of a spoon.
Scatter the grated cheese in an even layer over each dish. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the sauce bubbles at the edges and the cheese is melted with golden-brown spots; a final 2 minutes under the broiler deepens the colour.
Let the dishes stand for 5 minutes — they are molten hot inside — then scatter with dill and serve straight to the table.
Note. browning the cheese crust too little leaves the dish pale; too much makes it stringy, so watch the last few minutes.
Regional variant: Chicken Julienne (Куриный жюльен / Kuriny zhyul'en)
Replace about half the mushrooms with 8 oz (225 g) cooked chicken breast cut into small dice. Sauté the onion and mushrooms as above, stir in the chicken with the cream, and simmer 2 minutes longer so the meat heats through. Top with the same cheese and bake for 15-18 minutes, until bubbling and golden.
Cook's notes
- Do not crowd the pan when frying the mushrooms, or they steam instead of browning; cook them in two batches if your skillet is small.
- Wild mushrooms such as porcini or chanterelles, or a handful of dried porcini soaked and chopped, give a deeper, more traditional flavour.
- Grate the cheese coarsely so it melts into a pliable crust rather than a rubbery sheet.
Serve with
Crusty bread or toasted baguette slices for scooping, pickles or a light green salad, and chilled vodka or a dry white wine.
Make ahead and storage
Assemble the dishes unbaked, cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours, then bake from cold with 5-8 minutes extra. Baked leftovers keep 2 days covered in the fridge and reheat well in a 350°F (175°C) oven.
