Serves 4
Italian polenta is an underrated meal -- meatless, ready in minutes with very little effort, and instantly satisfying. The only thing to remember when cooking polenta, which is coarsely ground cornmeal, is to keep the heat low and stir often to avoid scorching the bottom. Later, if it thickens while sitting, simply add warm water (a little goes a long way), and stir to loosen the mixture. Any type of mushroom will work in this dish; the key is to keep the pieces on the large size. Halve or quarter cremini or large button mushrooms, thickly slice shiitakes, and stem oysters but leave them whole. Bigger pieces will retain more bite, lending a bit of texture to a meal that might otherwise be mushy (in the most comforting sense of the word). Serve the polenta and mushrooms with a large, seasonal salad.
MUSHROOMS
| 3 | tablespoons olive oil |
| 2 | pounds mixed mushrooms (shiitake, oyster, cremini), coarsely chopped |
| Salt and pepper, to taste | |
| 2 | shallots, finely chopped |
| 4 | cloves garlic, thinly sliced |
| 2 | tablespoons chopped fresh thyme |
| ½ | cup vegetable broth or white wine |
| 2 | teaspoons sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar |
| 2 | teaspoons soy sauce |
| 1 | cup heavy cream |
1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the mushrooms and sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt. Stir well, lower the heat to medium, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
2. Remove the lid, and turn the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring often, for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender. Add the shallots, garlic, and thyme. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes more.
3. Add the vegetable broth or wine, vinegar, and soy sauce. Cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes, or until the liquid has mostly reduced.
4. Add the cream and bring the liquid to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, stirring often, for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the cream thickens. Taste for seasoning and add pepper and more salt, if you like. (If the mushrooms have cooled before the polenta is done, reheat the mushrooms for 2 minutes, stirring, over medium heat.)
POLENTA
| 3½ | cups water |
| 1 | cup polenta |
| Salt, to taste | |
| 3 | tablespoons butter |
| ¼ | cup freshly grated Parmesan |
| Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg | |
| 2 | tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (for garnish) |
1. In a heavy-based flameproof casserole, bring 3 cups of the water to a boil. When it is boiling, slowly stream in the polenta, whisking constantly. Lower the heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes.
2. Remove from the heat. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup water, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes.
3. Stir in salt, butter, Parmesan, and nutmeg.
4. Ladle the polenta into bowls. Top each with mushrooms and garnish with parsley.
Karoline Boehm Goodnick
Serves 4
Italian polenta is an underrated meal -- meatless, ready in minutes with very little effort, and instantly satisfying. The only thing to remember when cooking polenta, which is coarsely ground cornmeal, is to keep the heat low and stir often to avoid scorching the bottom. Later, if it thickens while sitting, simply add warm water (a little goes a long way), and stir to loosen the mixture. Any type of mushroom will work in this dish; the key is to keep the pieces on the large size. Halve or quarter cremini or large button mushrooms, thickly slice shiitakes, and stem oysters but leave them whole. Bigger pieces will retain more bite, lending a bit of texture to a meal that might otherwise be mushy (in the most comforting sense of the word). Serve the polenta and mushrooms with a large, seasonal salad.
MUSHROOMS
| 3 | tablespoons olive oil |
| 2 | pounds mixed mushrooms (shiitake, oyster, cremini), coarsely chopped |
| Salt and pepper, to taste | |
| 2 | shallots, finely chopped |
| 4 | cloves garlic, thinly sliced |
| 2 | tablespoons chopped fresh thyme |
| ½ | cup vegetable broth or white wine |
| 2 | teaspoons sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar |
| 2 | teaspoons soy sauce |
| 1 | cup heavy cream |
1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the mushrooms and sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt. Stir well, lower the heat to medium, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
2. Remove the lid, and turn the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring often, for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender. Add the shallots, garlic, and thyme. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes more.
3. Add the vegetable broth or wine, vinegar, and soy sauce. Cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes, or until the liquid has mostly reduced.
4. Add the cream and bring the liquid to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, stirring often, for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the cream thickens. Taste for seasoning and add pepper and more salt, if you like. (If the mushrooms have cooled before the polenta is done, reheat the mushrooms for 2 minutes, stirring, over medium heat.)
POLENTA
| 3½ | cups water |
| 1 | cup polenta |
| Salt, to taste | |
| 3 | tablespoons butter |
| ¼ | cup freshly grated Parmesan |
| Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg | |
| 2 | tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (for garnish) |
1. In a heavy-based flameproof casserole, bring 3 cups of the water to a boil. When it is boiling, slowly stream in the polenta, whisking constantly. Lower the heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes.
2. Remove from the heat. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup water, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes.
3. Stir in salt, butter, Parmesan, and nutmeg.
4. Ladle the polenta into bowls. Top each with mushrooms and garnish with parsley.
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