Mushroom Stock

This is a great stock to make when your market is offering half-price, over-the-hill mushrooms—those that have opened up completely and are getting soft (but not moldy). Buy a lot of them and store them in the freezer if you don’t have time to make the stock right away. Add to this any mushroom stems and pieces or leftover wild mushrooms you might have. The secret here is to sauté the mushrooms in small batches so they have a chance to brown, which intensifies their flavor dramatically.