Baked Polenta With Shiitake Ragout Recipes

POLENTA WITH WILD MUSHROOMS AND VEGETABLE RAGOUT

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in skillet large enough to hold all the ingredients. Add onions and cook until they are soft and golden, about 10 minutes.
• Add the wild and domestic mushrooms with the garlic, marjoram and thyme and cook until mushrooms soften and release their juices.
• Meanwhile in another skillet, heat remaining oil and saute peppers until soft.
• Crush tomatoes in your fingers before adding to peppers, with tomato liquid, and cook over low heat until mushroom mixture is ready.
• When mushrooms are softened, add the wine and cook over medium heat to slightly reduce liquid.
• Combine contents of both pans and use to top polenta. This can be made a day ahead.
• To serve, heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
• Divide both polenta and sauce in half. Use two 10-by-15-inch glass baking dishes. Using half of polenta and half of sauce, spoon a third of sauce in bottom of one baking dish . Arrange half of polenta slices over the sauce. Spoon another third of sauce over polenta. Top with remaining polenta and then with remaining sauce. Repeat with second dish and remaining ingredients.

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.

BAKED POLENTA WITH SHIITAKE RAGOûT

Steps:

• Make the mushroom ragout:
• In a large deep skillet cook the onion, the garlic, and the rosemary in the oil over moderate heat, stirring, until the onion is softened, add the mushrooms and salt to taste, and cook the mixture over moderately high heat, stirring, for 10 minutes, or until the liquid the mushrooms give off is evaporated. Stir in the tomato paste and the wine and boil the mushroom mixture until most of the liquid is evaporated. In a small bowl stir the cornstarch into the broth, add the mixture and the Worcestershire sauce to the mushroom mixture, and bring the ragout to a boil, stirring. Simmer the ragout for 2 minutes and season it with salt and pepper.
• Make the polenta:
• In a large heavy saucepan bring the water with the oil to a boil and add 1 cup of the cornmeal, a little at a time, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to low, add the remaining 1 cup cornmeal in a slow stream, stirring constantly, and bring the mixture to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter, 2/3 cup of the Parmesan, the parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Spread one third of the polenta evenly in a buttered 13- by 9-inch baking dish and chill the polenta sheet for 20 minutes, or until it is firm. While the polenta is chilling, working quickly, spread half the remaining polenta in a buttered 3-quart shallow baking dish, top it with half the mushroom ragout, and top the ragout with the mozzarella. Spread the remaining polenta quickly over the mozzarella and top it with the remaining ragout.
• Invert the polenta sheet onto a work surface and with 1 or more star-shaped cutters cut out as many stars as possible. Arrange the stars decoratively on the ragout and sprinkle them with the remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan. The layered polenta may be prepared up to this point 2 days in advance and kept covered and chilled.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake the layered polenta in the upper third of the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the polenta stars are golden.