Soft Polenta With Mascarpone Food

PERFECT SOFT POLENTA

Steps:

• In a 4-quart saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper.
• Slowly whisk in the polenta. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until the polenta is hydrated, about 2 hours.
• Remove from the heat and whisk in the mascarpone, Parmesan and remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve topped with a drizzle of olive oil and more Parmesan, if desired.

POLENTA WITH MASCARPONE

Steps:

• In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan bring 5 cups water and salt to a boil then reduce to a bare simmer. Add polenta in a thin stream, stirring constantly; it will take about 10 minutes to add it all and will be fairly thick. Cook over low heat, 20 minutes, stirring constantly. Add melted butter, 4 tablespoons of the mascarpone, milk and nutmeg. Stir well.
• Pour hot polenta mixture into a very wide, warmed serving bowl. Top decoratively with mascarpone in 8 heaping spoonfuls. Serve immediately. Pass pepper mill and a bowl of extra mascarpone, if desired.

SOFT POLENTA

Steps:

• In a 4-quart saucepan, heat butter over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and sweat for 3 minutes until vegetables are translucent and aromatic. Add chicken stock and cream and bring to a simmer. Whisk in polenta and reduce heat to low. Cook over a low heat for 2 hours, stirring regularly.
• Remove from heat and whisk in cheese and butter, and season with salt and serve.

POLENTA WITH MASCARPONE AND ROASTED GARLIC

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Toss garlic with oil in small baking dish. Cover with foil. Bake until garlic is tender, about 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until garlic is very tender, about 10 minutes linger. Cool garlic; peel. Puree garlic in processor. Set puree aside.
• Bring 5 1/2 cups chicken stock and 1 tablespoon butter to boil in large saucepan. Reduce heat to medium. Gradually whisk in yellow cornmeal. Continue to cook until mixture is creamy, whisking occasionally and adding more chicken stock 1/4 cup at a time as necessary to keep polenta soft, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in cheese, chopped parsley and roasted garlic puree. Season polenta to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl and serve.

JOHN BESH'S CREAMY POLENTA WITH MASCARPONE CHEESE

Steps:

• Lightly season 2 cups water with salt and bring to a boil. Quickly whisk in the polenta until it has been fully incorporated. Reduce the heat to a low simmer. Add the butter and allow the polenta to cook uncovered for 30 minutes. Stir in the mascarpone and season to taste with salt.
• This may be made in advance and kept in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave just before serving.
• Assembly: Reheat the three components of the dish separately.
• On each of 6 large plates, place a couple of spoonfuls of polenta in the center of the plate.
• Carefully remove the bones from the hot ribs and place the beef short ribs over the bed of polenta.
• In a pan over medium heat, bring the reserved braising liquid to a simmer. Once the sauce is hot, check for seasoning and, if needed, add a touch of salt and pepper. Spoon the sauce around the beef short ribs and polenta. Carefully place the root vegetable ragout on the beef. Serve and enjoy!

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.