If you’ve ever enjoyed beef Wellington, you’ve also enjoyed the deep, rich, mushroomy goodness that forms the inside layer of this famous dish.

The flavourful spread could have simply been called mushroom paste (boring) or even champignons à La Varenne, but it’s called duxelles, a name derived from the Marquis d’Uxelles, a 17th-century nobleman. It is, however, his chef, François Pierre La Varenne, who gets the credit for creating this classic.

Mincing the mushrooms and cooking them to remove moisture makes them more suitable for use in pastry preparations like Wellington, where excess steam could split the pastry. It also helps concentrate that earthy umami we love so much. When added to soups, stews, spaghetti sauce, it’s a delicious way to bring richness to dishes and, when frozen or made in advance, a convenient way to get dinner started quickly.

Whether spread on toast or piped into gougères or ravioli, there are myriad ways to employ and enjoy duxelles. Here are a few recipes to get you started with nary a Wellington in sight.