Creamy Cajun Steak and Wild Mushrooms
Although you could use any type of steak (elk, moose, venison, beef, pork… even goose breast!) and any type of mushroom (morel, chanterelle, chicken of the woods, hen of the woods, lion’s mane, lobster, oyster, store-bought white button, etc.), my favourite combo, and the one I used here, is venison sirloin steak and wild lobster mushrooms.
Surf and Turf anyone?
Lobster mushrooms are beautifully bright orange and have a very mild seafood flavour, which lends them their name. They are not an actual species of mushroom but rather a parasitic fungus called Hypomyces lactifluorum that infects species of Russula or Lactarius mushrooms, causing them to change shape, colour, and flavor. Very cool!
You can find them pushing out of the earth in forests in the summer months, fresh at some farmer’s markets, or dried and sold at grocery or specialty stores. I’m sure they could be found dried online as well. Remember, foraging for mushrooms can be a dangerous activity if you don’t know what you’re doing. It’s best to find a local mycological group and go out on a foraging excursion with someone who knows what they’re doing before going alone.
This is a relatively simple recipe that combines steak cubes and mushrooms in a spicy, creamy sauce. So delicious, and perfect served on rice.
I used Harvesting Nature’s Big Game Blend for this dish and I recommend you do the same. This is a Cajun-inspired spice blend that doesn’t rely on salt, sugar, or MSG to announce its flavour – just good quality spices. Most other Cajun spice blends come heavily salted, so if you end up using one, be sure to adjust the salt in the recipe, or you might overwhelm it.
This recipe is quick, easy, and endlessly versatile. Once you make it, you’ll find yourself going back to it time and time again, using whatever game or mushrooms you have one hand. I know you’ll love it!
- Prep Time10 min
- Cook Time30 min
- Total Time40 min
- Yield4 servings
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs venison loin or sirloin, cut into large, bite-size cubes
- Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons lard or cooking oil
- 2 teaspoons butter
- 0.5 lbs wild or store-bought mushrooms, sliced (I used lobster mushroom)
- 3 garlic scapes, or green onions, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1⁄2 cup white wine, sherry, vermouth, or chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Harvesting Nature Big Game Blend (or favourite Cajun spice – monitor the salt level!)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tablespoons minced parsley
- White rice to serve
Preparation
Start your rice.
Salt the venison cubes generously.
Heat the lard or oil in a cast iron or steel skillet over high heat.
Add half of the venison cubes and brown on all sides for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate, then add the other half of the cubes and repeat, transferring the browned steak to the plate.
Turn heat to medium-high and add the butter.
Add the mushrooms once the butter has melted and cook for about 8 minutes, or until the mushrooms are soft and lightly browned.
Add the garlic scapes (or green onions) and the garlic and cook, stirring for another minute.
Add the wine or stock and scrape the bottom of the pan with a spoon or spatula as the liquid evaporates. Once the majority of the liquid is gone, turn the heat down to medium-low and add the cream, stirring it in.
Add the steak and any juices that have accumulated, a few grinds of black pepper, the Big Game Blend, the Worcestershire, and half of the minced parsley.
Cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, or until the cream thickens and clings to the steak and mushrooms.
To serve, spoon the creamy steak mixture over rice, potatoes, or noodles and garnish with the remaining parsley. Enjoy!
Notice how I didn’t have you scroll through pages of mundane nonsense to get to the recipe? Notice that there were no annoying pop-ups or ads? That was on purpose!
I want finding and using my recipes to be easy for you, not frustrating. That does translate into a lot of lost income for me though. If you made this recipe and loved it, would you consider “buying me a coffee” and donating a buck or two through the Buy Me a Coffee app? It will help me keep pumping out recipes like this one!
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