Polenta Creamy Herbed W Mushrooms Recipe 445 Food

CREAMY POLENTA WITH MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Bring water and salt to a boil. While whisking, slowly pour in polenta. Continue whisking for a minute to prevent any clumps from forming. Reduce heat to low and simmer for at least 30 minutes, stirring once every few minutes and scraping down the sides.
• Once the polenta is tender, stir in butter, cheese and more salt to taste (may not be necessary - taste before adding more salt).
• While the polenta is cooking, heat a skillet to medium-high. Add mushrooms and cook dry for a few minutes to release moisture. Some mushrooms have more moisture. If you're using shiitake mushrooms (like we did), you can skip this step and add the butter first.
• Once some of the moisture has evaporated, add butter and half of the wine. Let simmer. Add salt and continue cooking until the mushrooms start to get crispy. Add the remaining wine to deglaze the pan. Continue cooking until evaporated. Remove from heat and stir in fresh parsley and more salt and pepper to taste.
• Spoon polenta into a bowl and top with mushrooms, more herbs, cheese and pepper. Enjoy hot.

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.

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.

POLENTA WITH FONTINA AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Bring 3 3/4 cups water, 1/4 cup heavy cream and 1 teaspoon kosher salt to a boil; whisk in 3/4 cup instant polenta. Reduce the heat to medium; cook, stirring occasionally, until creamy, 10 minutes. Stir in 1 cup grated fontina. Saute 12 ounces sliced mixed mushrooms and 2 teaspoons chopped rosemary in butter until tender, 6 minutes; stir in 1¿4 cup heavy cream and season with salt and pepper. Cook until thickened; toss with chopped parsley. Serve over the polenta.

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.

MUSHROOM PARMESAN POLENTA

Steps:

• In small skillet, saute mushrooms in butter until lightly browned, 5 minutes.
• Set aside.
• Bring water to boil in medium pan.
• Gradually add cornmeal, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and soupy.
• Continue cooking and stirring over medium heat until mixture is as thick as cooked oatmeal.
• Stir in cheese and half-and-half.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Stir in mushrooms.
• Serve immediately.

CREAMY WHITE POLENTA WITH MUSHROOMS AND MASCARPONE

Steps:

• Make polenta:
• Bring water to a simmer in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan. Add grits in a slow stream, whisking until incorporated. Simmer, stirring occasionally with a long-handled whisk or wooden spoon, until liquid is absorbed and polenta is thick and soft, about 30 minutes. (Grits will have a loose, risotto-like consistency.) Remove from heat and stir in cream, cheese, salt, and pepper. Keep warm, covered.
• Sauté mushrooms while polenta simmers:
• If using porcini, halve if large, then slice lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. If using oysters, trim spongy base if necessary and slice caps into 1/2-inch-wide strips. If using chanterelles, leave small mushrooms whole, halve if medium, and quarter if large. If using lobsters, cut into 1/2-inch pieces. If using hedgehogs, trim base of stems and halve caps if large.
• Heat oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté mushrooms, garlic, salt, and pepper, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are golden and any liquid they give off is evaporated, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Add water, butter, lemon juice, and parsley and heat, swirling skillet, until butter melts and liquid forms a sauce.
• To serve:
• Top each serving of polenta with mushrooms and mascarpone. Serve immediately (polenta stiffens as it cools), sprinkled with Parmigiano-Reggiano.

POLENTA WITH CREAMY MUSHROOM SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
• Arrange the polenta on the prepared baking sheet and bake until crispy on the bottom and heated through, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms are softened and most of the liquid has evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Pour in the wine; bring to a boil and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce the liquid until the pan is almost dry, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Stir in the sour cream and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat, stir in cheese and tarragon.
• Serve the sauce over the polenta.