Caramelized Mushroom Polenta
This hearty vegetarian dish is deliciously savory, creamy in texture, and packed full of flavor. It takes minutes to prepare yet will give you a restaurant-worthy experience perfect for any night at home.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
For the Polenta
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup polenta
- Kosher salt
- 1 ¼ cups whole milk
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
For the Mushrooms
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2-3 pounds maitake mushroom torn apart into LARGE pieces
- freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 shallot finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves smashed and roughly chopped
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- ¼ cup half and half
- 2 tablespoons dry white wine
- 1 recipe Leek Confit
Instructions
- Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Slowly add the polenta, stir with a wooden spoon, and add 1 teaspoon salt. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the polenta is tender and full cooked, about 20 minutes. Add the milk, 2 tablespoon of the butter, and the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese to the polenta and stir together over medium-low heat until just warmed through and soft enough to drop easily from a spoon, a few minutes more. Cover to keep warm.
- For the Mushroom; Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and mushrooms and cook until they begin to brown and release their liquid, about 5 minutes. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are crispy but still juicy, seasoning with salt and pepper toward the end of cooking. Add the shallot, garlic and thyme and cook for 4 minutes more. Add the half and half and the wine. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid thickens just slightly and coats the mushrooms evenly, a few minutes more. Discard the thyme sprig and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as needed.
- To serve, layer in a spoonful of polenta in a serving bowl followed by a spoonful of the confit and then top with mushrooms and parmesan.
Notes
Polenta is perfect on its own for a light meal, maybe with a green salad. You can also make it go further by serving alongside a protein.
Nutrition
Calories: 539kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 180mg | Potassium: 1000mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1051IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 233mg | Iron: 2mg