This sauce has an intensely woodsy flavor that would be good on pasta, roast chicken or pork. TO RECONSTITUTE DRIED MUSHROOMS, place them in a bowl and cover with 3 cups of warm water. Soak for at least 2 hours or up to 8. When mushrooms are soft, drain and reserve water and squeeze out as much water as you can from the mushrooms. Pour the mushroom water through a double layer of cheesecloth or a cloth towel to remove any sand that may have been lurking in the mushrooms. Reserve 1 cup of liquid for this recipe. (Pour the remaining mushroom water into a plastic container or airtight bag, label and freeze for up to a year to use in soups and sauces.) Wash the fresh mushrooms and pat dry. (Slice chanterelles and cultivated mushrooms, trim and discard the stems of shiitake mushrooms, and trim and discard root tips of oyster mushrooms.) Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat and add the reconstituted dried mushrooms, garlic, shallots and salt. Cook, stirring, for 10 minutes. Add the fresh mushrooms and continue to cook another 10 minutes. Add the reserved mushroom water and sherry. Increase the heat to high and cook until the liquid reduces by about 2/3. Add the cream and cook until the liquid reduces to a saucelike consistency and is thick enough to coat a spoon.