Dinner Improv: Gorgonzola Ravioli in a Mushroom Beurre Rouge
Friday, May 8, 2009 at 9:46PM 
I had planned the perfect dinner, complete with portions for leftovers to keep us going through the week. As with the best laid plans, I forgot to pick up the final (mildly crucial) ingredient on my way home from work. Rather than fall victim to this fairly common mishap (and the easy reach of the takeout menu), I took a few moments to reflect on what I could cobble together.
I must admit that the centerpiece of the dish came from my dear friend Trader Giotto. A stash of ravioli and tortellini in the fridge and freezer has come in handy on more than one occasion. Tonight, I pulled out the gorgonzola ravioli and dreamt up what I'll call a Mushroom Beurre Rouge.
I heated a saute pan with Stonehouse California olive oil (from a local market in NYC, Provisions, that I am in love with) and some butter. To this I added one large shallot minced until the shallot was fragrant and soft. Next, I added some sliced baby bella mushrooms that didn't make it into last week's frittata. Just as the mushrooms were cooked, I added a bit of leftover red wine (roughly 1/4 cup) and reduced. Stir in some frozen peas and my sauce was complete. I combined this with the ravioli and garnished with fresh parsley from the farmer's market and fresh cracked black pepper.
The earthiness of the mushrooms and wine was balanced by the sweet butter and salty bite of the gorgonzola cheese. For a bit of additional acidity and texture in the meal, I also sliced up some farmer's market carrots (one orange and one lovely yellow) and tossed those with a light mustardy balsamic vinaigrette. Time from start to finish was roughly 25 minutes.
Though I used up the last of a bottle of wine with this dish, I didn't open a new one to accompany it. I used a Montepulciano d'Abruzzo in the sauce and it would have been a lovely addition in the glass as well. I'm a fan of cooking with the wine you will drink (or at a bare minumum, one that you would drink) if that's a possibility.
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