Porcini Cream Sauce alla Regina Diabla 2 oz. dried porcini mushrooms 2 cups chicken or beef broth (depending on what you are serving) (Swanson or College Inn) 2 large shallots, finely minced 1 clove garlic, finely minced 2 TBLS butter ¼ cup good cognac 1 cup heavy cream ¼ TSP nutmeg (fresh ground) 2 TBLS chopped fresh parsley 2 tsp chopped tarragon Salt Pepper Put the broth and porcini into a nuke proof bowl, nuke on hi for 3 minutes or until boiling. Let sit until mushrooms soften up a bit. (About ½ hour… I do this first and then get the other stuff together.) After the mushrooms are softened, scoop them out of the broth and chop coarsely, savings the broth. Set aside. Strain broth through cheesecloth or a coffee filter (this will keep the sand out of the sauce) and set the broth aside. Melt the butter over medium-high, sauté the shallot and garlic until softened and golden, but not burned (5 or so minutes). Add the reserved mushrooms and sauté for another 5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the cognac (watch out, it may flare up). Add the reserved broth and simmer for about 15 minutes (to reduce the liquid), add the cream and nutmeg and simmer for another 10-15 minutes until the sauce thickens (fresh cream will not curdle). Stir in your herbs. Add salt and pepper to taste (taste it first, the reduced broth should already have given you enough salt). Enjoy!! Posted by Maria Coppinger-Peters