The Charlotte Jewish News- May 2026- Page 28
The Recipe File: The Sauce That Quietly Wins the Table
By Elizabeth Johnson
There is a certain mythology around Las Vegas. For some, it is spectacle. For others, escape. But for those who pay attention, it is something else entirely: one of the most dynamic food cities in the country, where chefs build restaurants that rival anything in New York or Los Angeles.
I was reminded of this when, some time ago, I was asked by Vegas. com to prepare my own version of a recipe from a Las Vegas restaurant. The assignment felt less like a task and more like an excuse to revisit a place I have long understood through a different lens.
Yes, there are the shows, the lights, the familiar names. But beneath it all, Las Vegas has become a gastronomic destination. Years ago, I remember seeing a photograph of aerialists“ flying” through a glass wine tower, plucking bottles midair. It was theatrical, excessive, and completely mesmerizing. Naturally, I wanted in.
When my family eventually went, our planning revolved less around logistics and more around reservations. What to eat. Where to go. What not to miss.
My sister Michelle, at the time a regular visitor on business, guided us like a seasoned insider. The result was a trip defined not by casinos but by meals.
The recipe that follows takes a different approach to a classic. Instead of the expected meat base, it leans fully into the mushrooms: porcini, shiitake, and cremini, building a sauce that is rich, layered, and deeply satisfying without feeling heavy.
The real revelation here is the porcini. Once steeped in hot water, they release a broth so complex it feels like a secret ingredient you somehow missed your entire life. Add mascarpone, the soft Italian cream that rounds everything out without overwhelming it, and you have a sauce that is both elegant and entirely approachable.
At home, I pulled thyme, oregano, and basil straight from the garden. If you are not growing your own herbs, start. A pot, soil, sunlight, and consistency will reward you tenfold. It changes how you cook. It changes what you cook.
This is the kind of sauce that invites improvisation. We have run it over everything from zucchini noodles to chickpea pasta, but more often than not, we go classic. Egg pasta. Flour. Salt. No substitutions, no apologies. And finished, of course, with what I like to call the avalanche: a generous, unapologetic shower of grated cheese.
I am not a gambler, but I would take the house on this one.
Mushroom Bolognese Ingredients
• ½ oz. dried porcini mushrooms
• 10 oz. mushrooms( shiitake and cremini), chopped
• 1½ cups boiling water
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil, divided
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
• ½ cup red wine
• ½ cup mascarpone cheese
• Parmesan or pecorino, for serving
• 1 lb. pappardelle or rigatoni
• Optional: squeeze of lemon or splash of balsamic.
How to Make It Build your porcini base
Place dried porcini in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit for about 45 minutes to one hour. Strain through a fine sieve or coffee filter, reserving the liquid. Roughly chop the mushrooms. Simmer the reserved liquid in a small pan for five to seven minutes to concentrate.
Brown the mushrooms properly
Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a wide pan over medium-high heat. Add the fresh mushrooms in an even layer. Let them cook undisturbed until they release their liquid and begin to brown. Stir, season with a pinch of salt, and continue cooking until deeply golden. Set aside.
Build the soffritto
In a large pot, heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat. Add the carrots, onion, and bell pepper. Cook slowly for 10 – 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened, slightly caramelized, and jammy. Add the garlic, thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Cook for another two minutes.
Develop the base
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 – 3 minutes until it darkens and begins to stick slightly to the pan. Add the chopped porcini and browned mushrooms.
Cook and marry the pasta
Cook your pasta until al dente. Reserve one cup of pasta water, then drain. Add the pasta directly to the sauce with a splash of pasta water. Toss over low heat for 1 – 2 minutes until the sauce clings beautifully.
Final touches
Finish with the remaining fresh basil and, if desired, a small squeeze of lemon or a splash of balsamic to lift the richness. Serve immediately with a generous amount of grated cheese.
Not every recipe comes from a cookbook. Many are saved in folders, envelopes, emails, and slips of paper passed from one kitchen to another. The Recipe File gathers the dishes that hold memories along with stories that stay with them. If you have one to share, please write to Elizabeth Johnson at elizabeth. johnson @ jewishcharlotte. org.
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Deglaze and simmer
Add red wine and let it cook down by about half. Pour in the reduced porcini liquid. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until the sauce thickens and concentrates.
Finish the sauce
Stir in the butter, then fold in the mascarpone over low heat until fully incorporated and silky. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Add half the basil here.