Baked Polenta And Mushroom Timbales Food

BAKED POLENTA WITH MUSHROOMS & BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Brush the mushroom caps gently with a clean cloth to wipe away any dirt. Arrange them, underside up, on a sheet pan, drizzle with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar, then sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bake for 20 minutes, until tender. Set aside. Lower the oven to 375 degrees.
• Meanwhile, make the polenta. Pour the stock and half-and-half into a large saucepan and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and, while whisking constantly, slowly sprinkle the cornmeal into the boiling liquid. Simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring almost constantly with a wooden spoon, until the polenta is thick and smooth. Off the heat, stir in the mascarpone, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Pour into an 8 x 11 x 2-inch baking dish.
• Arrange the mushrooms, underside up, in one layer over the polenta. Sprinkle on the Gorgonzola and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the polenta is bubbly and the cheese is melted. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot.

BAKED POLENTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease an 11 by 17-inch baking sheet pan with oil. Line pan with waxed paper. The oil will secure the waxed paper onto the pan.
• In a large pot bring to a boil 2 quarts of salted water. Stir in extra-virgin olive oil. When water has reached a boil, reduce heat to medium high and slowly add the polenta, whisking constantly for 3 minutes. When polenta is thick and smooth, pour it into the prepared pan. Spread the polenta evenly.
• Bake in oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan. Note: the polenta will not brown or change in color. When cool enough to handle, cut into any shape you desire. I like to cut out 2-inch circles.

MUSHROOM AND CHEESE BAKED POLENTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 2-quart baking dish.
• Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt and a couple turns of pepper and cook until the mushrooms are tender, about 4 minutes. Add the milk and heavy cream and heat until very warm.
• Whisk together the polenta, sugar, baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt and a couple turns of pepper in a large bowl. Whisk the mushroom sauce into the polenta mixture until well combined and thick. Whisk the egg yolks in a small bowl. Whisk 1/2 cup of the hot polenta into the yolks, repeat twice, then pour the yolk mixture into the remaining polenta. Stir in the Cheddar.
• Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt in a medium bowl until soft, glossy peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the polenta mixture in three additions.
• Spoon the polenta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Bake until golden and puffed, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

CREAMY POLENTA WITH MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• For the polenta, bring 4 1/2 cups water and the milk to a high simmer in a medium-size heavy saucepan set over medium-high heat. Add salt. Pour the cornmeal slowly into the liquid, stirring with a wire whisk to prevent clumping. Continue stirring as the mixture thickens, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Turn heat to low. Cook for approximately 40 to 45 minutes, stirring every 5 to 10 minutes. If the polenta becomes quite thick, thin it with 1/2 cup water, stir well and continue cooking. Add up to 1 cup more water as necessary, to keep the polenta soft enough to stir.
• Add the butter to pot, and stir well. Add the Parmesan, if using. Taste for seasoning. Set the covered saucepan in a pot of barely simmering water, and keep warm for up to an hour or so.
• Meanwhile, put the dried mushrooms in a small bowl, and cover with about 1/2 cup boiling water. Allow to steep for 20 minutes. Remove the mushrooms, and pat dry, then chop roughly. Reserve the mushroom stock.
• Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a sauté pan set over high heat until it has melted. Add the garlic and cook until it starts to sizzle, about 30 seconds. Do not let the garlic brown.
• Add the fresh and reconstituted mushrooms and thyme to the pan, and sauté 3 to 4 minutes, turning until browned. Add about 1/4 cup of the mushroom stock to deglaze the surface, using a wooden spoon to scrape at the browned bits. Allow the stock to reduce by half, then turn the heat to medium-low and add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter, whisking to combine, followed by the soy sauce, cream and olive oil. Allow mixture to cook until it thickens a little, then remove from heat. Taste for seasoning, adding black pepper, if desired.
• Put the polenta in a warmed bowl, then top with mushrooms and the sauce. Serve immediately.

MUSHROOM POLENTA

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 8 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms, season with salt and brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon each butter and fresh thyme and 1 minced shallot; cook 30 seconds. Meanwhile, simmer 3 cups mushroom broth and a pinch of salt in a saucepan. Whisk in 3/4 cup quick-cooking polenta; stir until thickened, 5 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan; season with salt and pepper. Top with the mushrooms, chopped parsley, more Parmesan and pepper.

BAKED POLENTA AND MUSHROOM TIMBALES

Steps:

• Butter six half-cup ovenproof ramekins. Preheat oven to 350.
• Heat the oil in a heavy skillet, add the mushrooms and saute over high heat until they are lightly browned. Set aside.
• Bring the milk and cream to a boil in a heavy saucepan. Remove it from the heat and add the cornmeal in a very thin stream, stirring constantly. Taking handfuls of the cornmeal and allowing it to stream into the pan from a slightly open fist is the best way. When all the cornmeal has been added, stir until the mixture is thickened and very smooth.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the sugar, sundried tomatoes, sauteed mushrooms, chives and melted butter. Stir in the beaten eggs.
• Pour the mixture into the molds and set the molds in a pan with enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the molds. Bake for 30 minutes.
• Unmold the timbales and serve them warm as a first course or to accompany roasted meats.

CREAMY VEGAN POLENTA WITH MUSHROOMS AND KALE

Steps:

• Make the polenta: Bring 6 cups vegetable broth and 1 teaspoon salt to boil in a large saucepan. Gradually whisk in the polenta, then turn the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the polenta has thickened to your liking, 10 to 15 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the butter and nutritional yeast. Season to taste with salt and black pepper; cover and set aside.
• Prepare the mushrooms: While the polenta simmers, heat the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 4 minutes. Raise the heat to medium-high, and add the mushrooms and rosemary to the skillet. Cook, tossing occasionally and adding a splash of olive oil if the pan looks dry, until the mushrooms have released their water and are tender, 4 to 6 minutes.
• Add the garlic and red-pepper flakes, and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. (Be careful not to let the garlic burn.) Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring to incorporate, until it turns a rusty brown color and begins to caramelize on the bottom of the pan.
• Add the red wine and cook, stirring and scraping the brown bits from the pan, until the liquid is reduced by about half.
• Add the 1 cup vegetable broth, and bring to a simmer. Begin adding handfuls of kale, cooking and stirring until the kale wilts. Add 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid in the pan reduces and thickens, about 10 minutes.
• Off the heat, stir in the vinegar and add salt and pepper to taste. Reheat the polenta over medium-low, adding a splash of broth to loosen it if necessary. Serve the polenta and braised mushrooms and kale in shallow bowls, sprinkled with parsley.

POLENTA WITH MUSHROOMS AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°. Brush both sides of polenta slices with 1 tablespoon oil; place on a 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake 20-25 minutes on each side or until crisp., Meanwhile, in large skillet, heat remaining oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and shallot; cook and stir 12-14 minutes or until liquid has evaporated and mushrooms start to brown. Add sherry; cook, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan., In a small bowl, mix flour, salt and pepper; stir in broth until smooth. Stir into pan. Cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Add spinach; cook and stir over medium-low heat until slightly wilted, about 2 minutes., Arrange polenta on a platter; top with mushroom mixture.

CREAMY POLENTA & MUSHROOM RAGOUT

Steps:

• Soak the dried mushrooms in 150ml warm water. Set aside for 20 mins, then drain and squeeze, reserving the soaking liquid. Heat the butter in a large frying pan. When sizzling, add the shallot and cook for a few mins until soft. Add the garlic and thyme leaves, cook for 1 min more, then turn up the heat and add the soaked mushrooms. After 1 min, add all the other mushrooms and fry over a very high heat for 5 mins until soft. Splash in the red wine and boil rapidly for 1 min. Pour in the stock and reserved mushroom liquid, and simmer for 15 mins until you have a thickened stew. Turn off the heat.
• For the polenta, bring the milk to the boil with 500ml water, the bay and thyme. Turn off the heat and leave to infuse for 20 mins, then fish out the herbs and bring back to the boil. Add the polenta in a steady stream, whisking steadily. Cook for 1 min until thickened, then stir in the butter and Parmesan. Spoon a 'crater' of polenta onto a baking tray and fill with the ragout. Top with slices of Taleggio, place under a hot grill until melting and oozy, then let everyone help themselves.

PORTOBELLO POLENTA STACKS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. In a small saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic; cook and stir until tender, 1-2 minutes (do not allow to brown). Stir in vinegar; remove from heat., Place mushrooms in a 13x9-in. baking dish, gill side up. Brush with vinegar mixture; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with polenta and tomato slices; sprinkle with cheese., Bake, uncovered, until mushrooms are tender, 20-25 minutes. Sprinkle with basil.

POLENTA WITH MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Put the dried mushrooms in a medium bowl and pour in the boiling water. Press them down into the water now and then until they are soft, anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes depending on how dry they were. When it's time to cook them, lift them out of the water with your hands or a slotted spoon and chop them roughly. Reserve the soaking water.
• Put the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When it's hot, add the soaked dried and fresh mushrooms and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender and have released all their liquid. 10 to 15 minutes.
• Add the wine and let it bubble away for 1 minute, then stir in the garlic, 1/4 cup of the parsley, and 1 cup of the reserved soaking water. Cook until the liquid thickens a bit, another 2 or 3 minutes, then taste, adjust the seasoning, and turn off the heat under the skillet.
• Put the polenta in a medium pot with 1 cup water and whisk to form a smooth slurry. Whisk in the milk and a pinch of salt and set the pot over medium-high heat. Heat until the mixture boils then lower the heat to medium and cook, whisking frequently adding more water a little at a time to prevent lumps and keep the mixture somewhat soupy. Expect to add another 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups of water before the polenta is ready. The polenta will be done in 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the grind. It will be thick and creamy, with just a little grittiness, and the mixture will pull away from the sides of the pan when you stir. When the polenta is done, turn the heat under the mushrooms to medium to warm them quickly.
• Stir the butter and cheese into the polenta then taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve the polenta topped with the mushrooms and garnished with the remaining 1/4 cup parsley.
• Cooks' Notes
• Soaking Dried Mushrooms: The time needed to soften mushrooms depends on their size and age. They're ready when you can cut one easily with a paring knife. You want to reserve the soaking liquid but leave the grit behind, so lift out the mushrooms rather than pouring to drain them.
• Making The Sauce: When the mushrooms are tender and the wine has bubbled away, stir in the garlic, parsley, and soaking water.
• Making Polenta by the Slurry Method: When the slurry just starts to boil, turn it down a bit so it bubbles gently. Add more water or stir with a wooden spoon.
• Recognizing Doneness: When the polenta starts to pull away from the pan and is no longer gritty, it's time to stir in the butter and Parmesan.