Q: Our absolute favorite restaurant in metro Atlanta is Aqua Terra, located in historic downtown Buford. If you could get [the recipe for] their fabulous sun-dried tomato dipping oil for bread or for the fabulous reduced mushroom ragout — wow!

— Adele Murise, Norcross

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A: Aqua Terra chef Brian Legault shared the recipe for his wild mushroom ragout, flavored with red onion, tomatoes and garlic. He serves the ragout with steak, but you could also serve it over chicken, pasta or polenta for a vegetarian meal. Buy packs of mixed mushrooms or make your own mix using varieties including crimini, oyster and shiitake.

Restaurants tend to add a lot of butter for more taste and a "creamier" texture. At home, you might not want as much, so add it gradually until you get the consistency you desire.

And fans of the sun-dried-tomato dipping oil are in luck — Aqua Terra sells it to go.

— Jeanne Besser, for the Journal-Constitution

CONDIMENT

Mushroom Ragout

Makes 4 servings Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 25 minutes

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup sliced mixed wild mushrooms

1/2 cup julienned red onion

1/2 cup diced red tomatoes

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves

1 cup low-sodium chicken stock

4 to 8 tablespoons (1/2 to 1 stick) butter, cut into tablespoons

In a skillet over medium-high heat, add oil. Add mushrooms, onion, tomatoes, garlic, parsley and rosemary and cook until vegetables soften. Add chicken stock and 4 tablespoons butter. Reduce heat and bring to a simmer. Cook until sauce thickens. If desired, add additional butter, a tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency.

Per serving: 164 calories (percent of calories from fat, 80), 4 grams protein, 5 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 15 grams fat, 31 milligrams cholesterol, 251 milligrams sodium.

Is there a restaurant recipe you'd like to make at home? Tell us what you're looking for and perhaps we can help you get it. If we succeed, we'll have the recipe tested and adapted for the home kitchen, if necessary. Because of volume, we can't answer all inquiries. Send your request, along with address and phone number, to: Mail: Betty Parham, Food Department, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 72 Marietta St. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30303. E-mail: menu@ajc.com. Fax: 404-526-5509.