Mushroom Strudel

Preparation Soak porcini in boiling-hot water in a small bowl until softened, about 10 minutes. Lift out porcini and squeeze excess liquid back into bowl. Rinse porcini well to remove any grit. Strain soaking liquid through a sieve lined with a dampened paper towel into another bowl and reserve. Pulse porcini and white mushrooms in a food processor until finely chopped (but not minced). Cook shallots in butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 1 minute. Add mushrooms, reserved soaking liquid, wine, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated, about 8 minutes. Stir in parsley, then spread filling on a plate and chill, uncovered, until cold, about 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in middle. While filling chills, put stack of phyllo sheets on a work surface and cut in half crosswise, then stack halves and cover with plastic wrap. Remove 1 phyllo sheet from stack (keep remaining sheets covered) and arrange with a long side nearest you, then lightly brush with some duck fat. Top with another phyllo sheet and brush with fat. Spread about one fourth of mushroom filling in a narrow strip along edge nearest you to within 1/4 inch of each end, then roll up phyllo tightly around filling, leaving ends open. Transfer roll, seam side down, to a baking sheet and make 3 more rolls in same manner, transferring to baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes. Cool slightly on baking sheet on a rack, then brush length of each roll with a very thin line of truffle oil (if using) with tip of a cotton swab. Gently cut each roll crosswise into 8 pieces with serrated knife. Serve strudel warm or at room temperature. Cooks'notes:•Mushroom filling can be made 2 days ahead and chilled (covered once cool). •Strudels can be assembled (but not baked) 1 day ahead and chilled, or 2 weeks ahead and frozen, wrapped well in plastic wrap. Bake (do not thaw first) in a preheated 350°F oven 20 minutes. Reprinted with permission from What's for Dinner? Delicious Recipes for a Busy Life by Curtis Stone. Photographs by Quentin Bacon. Copyright © 2013 by Curtis Stone. Published by Ballantine Books, an imprint of the Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher CURTIS STONE is the author of five cookbooks and the host of Top Chef Masters on Bravo. He is also the creator of Kitchen Solutions, a sleek line of cookware sold in retailers worldwide, and writes a monthly column for Men's Fitness. Born in Melbourne, Australia, Stone honed his skills in London at Café Royal, under legendary three-star Michelin chef Marco Pierre White, and at Mirabelle and the revered Quo Vadis. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and son.

Preparation Soak porcini in boiling-hot water in a small bowl until softened, about 10 minutes. Lift out porcini and squeeze excess liquid back into bowl. Rinse porcini well to remove any grit. Strain soaking liquid through a sieve lined with a dampened paper towel into another bowl and reserve. Pulse porcini and white mushrooms in a food processor until finely chopped (but not minced). Cook shallots in butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 1 minute. Add mushrooms, reserved soaking liquid, wine, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated, about 8 minutes. Stir in parsley, then spread filling on a plate and chill, uncovered, until cold, about 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in middle. While filling chills, put stack of phyllo sheets on a work surface and cut in half crosswise, then stack halves and cover with plastic wrap. Remove 1 phyllo sheet from stack (keep remaining sheets covered) and arrange with a long side nearest you, then lightly brush with some duck fat. Top with another phyllo sheet and brush with fat. Spread about one fourth of mushroom filling in a narrow strip along edge nearest you to within 1/4 inch of each end, then roll up phyllo tightly around filling, leaving ends open. Transfer roll, seam side down, to a baking sheet and make 3 more rolls in same manner, transferring to baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes. Cool slightly on baking sheet on a rack, then brush length of each roll with a very thin line of truffle oil (if using) with tip of a cotton swab. Gently cut each roll crosswise into 8 pieces with serrated knife. Serve strudel warm or at room temperature. Cooks'notes:•Mushroom filling can be made 2 days ahead and chilled (covered once cool). •Strudels can be assembled (but not baked) 1 day ahead and chilled, or 2 weeks ahead and frozen, wrapped well in plastic wrap. Bake (do not thaw first) in a preheated 350°F oven 20 minutes. Reprinted with permission from What's for Dinner? Delicious Recipes for a Busy Life by Curtis Stone. Photographs by Quentin Bacon. Copyright © 2013 by Curtis Stone. Published by Ballantine Books, an imprint of the Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher CURTIS STONE is the author of five cookbooks and the host of Top Chef Masters on Bravo. He is also the creator of Kitchen Solutions, a sleek line of cookware sold in retailers worldwide, and writes a monthly column for Men's Fitness. Born in Melbourne, Australia, Stone honed his skills in London at Café Royal, under legendary three-star Michelin chef Marco Pierre White, and at Mirabelle and the revered Quo Vadis. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and son.