Portobello Cream Sauce with Whole-Wheat Linguine

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. butter
4 large portobello mushroom caps, wiped clean, gills scraped, thinly sliced
1 tsp. ground thyme
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, sliced
⅓ cup port or Marsala wine
½ cup Chicken stock
1½ cup heavy cream
1 lb. whole-wheat linguine
1 cup walnut pieces
1 large bunch watercress
freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
a few grates of nutmeg

Method

In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil and butter over medium to medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and brown for 10 minutes. Stir in thyme, shallots, and garlic. Season with salt & pepper to taste and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. Stir in port or Marsala, stock and cream. Season with a little nutmeg, then reduce heat and simmer until just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium heat. Salt the water and add the pasta. Cook until al dente, drain, and add pasta to a large serving bowl.

Toast walnuts in a small pan over low heat until fragrant. Add warm sauce to the pasta and serve with cheese, nuts and chopped watercress on top.

You can cool sauce completely and store in the refrigerator for a make-ahead meal. Reheat the sauce, covered, over medium heat until it bubbles, then reduce heat to low.