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1. Combine the mushrooms with 2½ cups of water in a 4-or 6-cup saucepan and turn the heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so the mixture simmers gently. Cook until the mushrooms are tender, about 15 minutes.

2. Remove the mushrooms with a slotted spoon and put in a blender. Strain the liquid through a paper towel put in a sieve or through a couple of layers of cheesecloth; there will be about 1 cup. Add most of the liquid to the mushrooms and puree, adding the remaining liquid if necessary to allow the machine to do its work.

3. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve or cover and refrigerate for up to a couple of days.

VARIATIONS

While the basic sauce—mushroom, salt, pepper, and water—is surprisingly complex, you can give it additional depth by adding one—or all—of the following to the blender during step 2:

• A peeled shallot or small garlic clove

• 1 teaspoon or more fresh thyme leaves (or ½ teaspoon dried)

• 1 tablespoon or more port, tomato paste, or soy sauce In each case, be sure to taste the puree before you remove it from the blender; the mushroom flavor is so strong that it may take a relatively large quantity of a complementary ingredient to make an impression.

RED PEPPER PUREE

MAKES AT LEAST 4 SERVINGS

TIME: ABOUT 1 HOUR

ROASTED RED PEPPER puree is incredibly useful, easy to make, and delicious—you can eat it with a spoon. It contains two basic ingredients, red bell peppers and olive oil, and both are always readily available. And since making a batch is about as difficult as scrambling an egg, and the puree keeps fairly well, there’s little reason not to have some on hand. If you are so inclined, you can flavor it with any number of herbs (thyme, basil, and parsley are fine) or spices, like cumin or chile powder (or minced chiles). I usually leave the sauce unadulterated.

Of course you can use bottled or canned preroasted peppers (“pimientos”) here, though the results will not be as fresh tasting.

4 large red bell peppers (about 2 pounds)

Salt

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 500°F. Line a roasting pan with enough aluminum foil to fold over the top later. Put the bell peppers in the pan and the pan in the oven. Roast, turning the peppers about every 10 minutes, until they collapse, about 40 minutes.

2. Fold the foil over the peppers and allow them to cool. Working over a bowl, remove the core, skin, and seeds from each of the peppers, reserving some of the liquid.

3. Put the pepper pulp in a food processor with about 2 tablespoons of the reserved liquid. Add a large pinch of salt and turn on the machine; drizzle the oil in through the feed tube. Stop the machine, then taste and add more salt and/or olive oil if necessary. Store, well covered, in the refrigerator (for several days) or the freezer (up to a month).

VARIATIONS

• Add a couple tablespoons of puree to the cooking liquid of any simmering grain—rice, couscous, or quinoa, for example.

• Use in place of or with tomatoes in pasta sauce. For example, sauté several vegetables and bind them with the puree during the last minute of cooking.

• Fold into omelets or scrambled eggs, with or without cooked vegetables.

• Combine with chopped fresh basil, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, and minced garlic for a pesto-like pasta sauce.

• Emulsify with fresh lemon juice, salt, and pepper to make a beautiful salad dressing.

• Spread on crostini or pizza before baking.

• Use as a finishing sauce for roasted eggplant, zucchini, or other vegetables.

• Serve as a condiment with grilled or roasted fish, meat, or chicken.

• Stir into soups or stews just before serving.

• Mash a couple tablespoons of puree, with a little olive oil, minced garlic, and cracked black pepper, into fresh, salty cheese—like feta or goat—to make a dip for bread or vegetables.

BASIC VINAIGRETTE

MAKES ABOUT 2/3 CUP

TIME: 10 MINUTES

IT’S HARD TO IMAGINE five minutes in the kitchen better spent than those spent making vinaigrette, the closest thing to an all-purpose sauce.

The standard ratio for making vinaigrette