Ingredients:
1 3/4 ounces(50 grams) dried mushrooms, such as shiitake or porcini
4 tablespoons(56 grams, ½ stick) unsalted butter
3 sprigsfresh thyme
1 sprigfresh rosemary
3 fresh sage leaves
1/2 teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
4 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 large shallot, sliced
3/4 cup(180 grams) whole milk
1/2 cup(120 grams) heavy cream, plus more as needed
2 tablespoons(30 grams) plain whole-milk yogurt
1 tablespoon(15 grams) fish sauce, plus more as needed
1/4 teaspoonground allspice
1/4 teaspoondark soy sauce (optional)
2 teaspoonsDijon mustard
1/4 teaspoonfreshly grated nutmeg
Cooked beef or pork steak, or desired roast meat, for serving
Directions:
Grind the dried mushrooms in a spice grinder for at least 1 minute, until you have a fine powder. Transfer into a medium pot over low to medium-low heat and toast the powder, stirring constantly, until it turns from a pale gray to a wet sand-brown color. (This process should take about 5 to 6 minutes and shouldn’t be rushed, or the powder will burn instead of brown.) Immediately transfer the toasted powder to a bowl to stop the cooking.
In the same pot over medium heat (no need to wipe it out), melt 3 tablespoons of the butter, then add the thyme, rosemary, sage, and black pepper. Cook until the butter starts to brown and the herbs are crispy, about 3 to 5 minutes, then remove about half of the herbs with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add 3 of the smashed garlic cloves and the shallot and cook until fragrant and slightly browned on the edges, about 3 to 5 minutes, then stir in the milk, cream, yogurt, fish sauce, allspice, and dark soy sauce (if using). Stir in the toasted mushroom powder, which will instantly thicken the sauce, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, until the mixture reaches the consistency of a very thick cheese sauce. At the end, stir in the remaining smashed clove of garlic for a little boost of garlicky flavor.
Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into another pot, pressing on the solids to extract all the liquid, then discard the solids. If the consistency of the sauce is too thick for your liking, thin it out with a bit more cream, then add the Dijon mustard, grated nutmeg, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Stir until the sauce is smooth, seasoning with more fish sauce to taste, then serve over steak or your preferred meat, topped with the reserved fried herbs. The sauce can be made 3 days ahead of time, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and reheated before serving.