Polenta Gratin With Spinach And Wild Mushrooms 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.

SOFT POLENTA WITH MUSHROOMS AND SPINACH

Steps:

• In a pan, bring 3 cups water to a boil with a pinch of salt. Stir with a whisk as you sprinkle the polenta into the boiling water. Let the mixture cook for 3-5 minutes, or for the time given in the packet instructions. Add extra (boiling) water if necessary, the polenta should be nice and soft. Grate in nearly all of the Parmesan. Taste and season with freshly ground pepper and more salt, if necessary.
• When cooked, pour half of the polenta onto a flat plate that you've greased with olive oil, cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge for tomorrow.
• While the polenta cooks, sauté the mushrooms in a small splash of olive oil over a medium-high heat for around 10 minutes. Add the garlic at the end and cook briefly, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Remove the mushrooms from the pan and add the spinach. Stir-fry the spinach until just wilted. Remove the spinach from the pan and fry an egg (you might need to add another small splash of olive oil).
• Stir the butter into the cooked polenta and spoon it into a deep plate. Arrange the mushrooms and spinach on the polenta and top with the fried egg. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Top with the rest of the Parmesan, in slices.

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.

POLENTA GRATIN WITH SPINACH AND WILD MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the mushrooms and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 6 minutes.
• Add the shallot and cook over moderately low heat for 3 minutes. Add the spinach, thyme and nutmeg and cook over high heat until the spinach has wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Spread the spinach mixture evenly in a 1.5 quart baking dish. (can add pre-cooked chicken, shrimp or sausage).
• In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour over moderately high heat.
• Add the stock and cream and whisk until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper and pour over the spinach mixture.
• Sprinkle 1/2 cup Gruyère over spinach and sauce.
• Arrange the polenta slices next in overlapping concentric circles, pressing to submerge the polenta slightly.
• Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup Gruyère on the polenta, cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes.
• Preheat the broiler. Uncover the polenta and broil 6 inches from the heat for about 2 minutes, or until golden. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

CREAMY POLENTA WITH SPINACH

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, bring the chicken broth, oil, garlic and 1 1/2 cups water to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and whisk in the polenta. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, about 10 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan, mascarpone, pecorino and butter. Cook, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Fold in the spinach and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes longer. Add 1/4 cup water if the mixture gets too thick.
• Pour the polenta into a large bowl and serve with grated Parmesan over the top.

POLENTA GRATIN WITH MUSHROOM "BOLOGNESE"

Steps:

• Heat the peanut oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it moves easily across the pan. Add the onion, carrot, celery, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cook for 1 minute, then add the mushrooms and thyme leaves. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are almost tender, about 3 minutes. Add the tomato, cook for about 2 minutes more, then add the stock 2 tablespoons at a time, bringing to a simmer before each addition. Simmer the bolognese until it is concentrated but not yet dry, about 30 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Moisten the polenta with 2 tablespoons of water, mixing well with your hands. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Add a pinch of salt and gradually stir in the polenta. Stirring constantly, bring the polenta to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cook the polenta, stirring occasionally, until it is no longer grainy, about 30 minutes. Stir the olive oil into the polenta, season with salt, and remove it from the heat.
• TO ASSEMBLE: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spoon 1/2 the polenta into a medium baking dish and cover with 1/2 of the sauce. Spoon in the remaining polenta, spread it evenly, then sprinkle with the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Transfer the remaining sauce to a small saucepan and reserve.
• Bake the gratin until the top is golden, about 40 minutes. Just before serving, warm the reserved sauce over low heat. Divide the gratin and sauce among 4 plates and serve.

POLENTA WITH WILD MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in large skillet and cook mushrooms over medium heat until golden brown. Season and keep warm.In a medium saucepan, bring stock or water to a boil. Stir in cornmeal. Reduce heat to a simmer and stir occasionally to prevent lumps. Cook for approximately 30 minutes. Taste the polenta, it should be thick and smooth without a coarse texture. Cook over low heat until the texture is correct. Stir in butter, cheese and salt and pepper. Serve hot as a side or main dish.

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.

PUMPKIN GRATIN POLENTA WITH SPINACH MUSHROOMS AND FETA

Steps:

• Bake the butternut pumpkin. If you're doing this ahead of time, just cut it into a few pieces, scoop out the seeds, and place on a baking tray and bake at moderate heat for an hour or so until soft, then remove the flesh from the skin. If you're in a hurry, skin and seed the pumpkin then cut into smallish cubes. Toss with a bit of olive oil, then bake at 350F for about 20-30 minutes until soft. Puree it with a potato masher or implement of choice.
• Stir the polenta into the cold water in an ample pot, add the vegetable stock, and bring it to a simmer, stirring constantly. Continue stirring until the polenta is thick and tender, about half an hour. Remove from the heat, then stir in the pureed pumpkin and the butter, and add a little salt and pepper. Remember that you will be layering it with salty feta, so use a light hand. Pour the polenta onto a large baking sheet and smooth it into a 1/2 inch layer. Allow it to stiffen (30 minutes or more), then cut into rectangles about 2x3 inches in size.
• Meanwhile, peel, halve and slice the red onions. Warm the oil in a large non-stick pan over a low-moderate heat. Add the onions and a dash of salt, and cover. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring now and then, then remove the lid and cook another 15 minutes or more. When the onions are very soft, add the balsamic vinegar to taste and cook another 5 minutes, then remove from the heat and set aside.
• Wipe and slice the mushrooms. Heat the butter or oil and cook the mushrooms until they're a lovely dark brown. Season with Salt and pepper and set aside.
• Remove tough stems from the spinach and wash the leaves well, then chop roughly. In a large saucepan, heat a bit of oil and add the peeled and chopped garlic. Saute for a minute or two, then add the spinach. Put the lid on the pan, and cook for several minutes, turning the leaves with tongs every couple of minutes to stop them sticking. When the leaves are wilted and tender, remove them from the heat and tip them out into a large colander to drain any liquid.
• In a bowl, mix together the spinach, mushrooms, onions and most of the crumbled feta. Lightly oil a large gratin or lasagne dish. Spoon a little of the vegetable mixture into one end of the dish, then start overlapping layers of the polenta slices with layers of the vegetable mixture, leaving some of the filling showing between layers of polenta. You'll have to judge how upright to layer the slices based on the size of your dish. Once you have used up all the filling and polenta, sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. Bake at 350F for about 30 minutes. It should be bubbling hot, and the cheese on top will be golden brown in spots. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then serve.

POLENTA BITES WITH WILD MUSHROOMS AND FONTINA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Brush both sides of polenta slices very lightly with oil and arrange on 2 rimmed baking sheets. Roast polenta until lightly golden brown and warmed through, about 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt butter with remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until tender and browned, about 12 minutes. Add shallots, vinegar, salt, black pepper, and red pepper and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in parsley.
• Divide mushroom mixture between baking sheets with polenta. Top with cheese. Continue to roast until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.
• Arrange polenta bites on a platter and serve.
• Do Ahead
• Mushroom mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Transfer to an airtight container and chill.