Wild Cream of Mushroom Egg Noodle Bake

Hold the canned soup

From Rachael Ray: 365 No Repeats

Cream of Mushroom Sauce
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
12 button mushrooms, brushed off with a damp towel and chopped
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 C chicken stock or broth
1 C whole milk or cream
1/8 tsp freshly grated or ground nutmeg
salt and fresh ground black pepper

Casserole
2 Tbsp EVOO
1 shallot, thinly sliced
2 portobello mushroom caps, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 pound fresh mixed wild mushrooms, such as shiitakes, oysters, and wood-ears, stems trimmed and caps thinly sliced
1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
salt and fresh ground black pepper
1/3 C dry white wine, or more stock
1 pound extra-wide egg noodles
1-2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
3/4 pound Gruyere or Emmentaler cheese, shredded
3 Tbsp chopped fresh chives

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the egg noodles.

To make the mushroom sauce, heat a medium sauce pot over medium heat. Add the EVOO and the butter. When the butter melts, add the chopped button mushrooms and cook 5 minutes, until just tender. Sprinkle the flour and cook 1 minute. Whisk in the chicken stock and bring to a bubble, then stir in the whole milk. Reduce the heat to low and gently simmer. Season the sauce with nutmeg, salt and pepper.

To make the casserole, heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the EVOO, then the shallots and mushrooms. Cook the mushrooms 8 minutes, or until tender. Season with thyme, salt and pepper, and deglaze the pan with the wine or a little stock. Reduce the heat to medium low and let the liquid cook off.

Preheat the broiler to high.

While the mushrooms cook, drop the egg noodles into the boiling water, salt the water, and cook the noodles al dente, with a bite to them. Drain the noodles and return them to the hot pot. Add the creamy sauce to the pot and toss the noodles to coat in the sauce.

Lightly coat a casserole dish with the softened butter, then transfer the cream of mushroom noodles to the dish and top with the mushroom ragout and the shredded cheese. Place the casserole under the broiler and melt and bubble the cheese until brown at the edges. Garnish with chives and serve.