The earthiness of mushrooms goes well with everything from red meat (think tenderloin or ribeye steaks), to pork or even pasta. This is a great sauce to try on a weeknight, as it's fast to make and delicious.

8-12 oz. mushrooms, stems removed and sliced ¼" thick (I used cremini, otherwise known as baby bellas, and shitakes)
1-2 tablespoons canola oil
1 shallot, small diced
3 tablespoons Brandy
½ cup heavy cream
1-2 sprigs thyme
1-2 leaves sage
Salt & pepper to taste

Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to a skillet over high heat and sauté half of the mushrooms. The pan should be very, very hot when you add the mushrooms so they do not soak up the oil. Stir them every few minutes, but leave them long enough to get some color on each side. Drain on some paper towels. Repeat with the remaining mushrooms. Set aside. In a small sauté pan, add the shallot and brandy and cook over high heat until almost all of the alcohol has evaporated. Add the cream, thyme and sage, stir, and let come to a boil. Add the sautéed mushrooms, salt and pepper to taste, and bring to a simmer. Simmer until desired thickness is reached and serve immediately. Serves 2-4.