Kale And Mushrooms With Creamy Polenta Food

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.

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.

KALE AND MUSHROOMS WITH CREAMY POLENTA

Steps:

• Cook kale in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 6 minutes. Drain.
• Bring milk, water, polenta, salt, and pepper to boil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to low and simmer until thick, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Meanwhile, cook pancetta in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to paper towels. Add mushrooms and 2 tablespoons oil to drippings in skillet. Sauté until mushrooms are tender, about 6 minutes. Stir in kale and pancetta. Add garlic and broth; simmer until broth is slightly reduced, about 6 minutes. Stir in thyme, lemon peel, and 2 tablespoons oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Whisk butter and Parmesan into polenta and divide among plates. Top with kale mixture.