Polenta Cakes With Mushrooms Recipes

SAVORY POLENTA CAKE WITH MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F and use about 1 tablespoon of the melted butter to grease a 9 x 3-inch round cake pan. Then line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.
• Add the water, sherry, thyme, sage, 1¼ teaspoon of the salt, and dried mushrooms to a small pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Once it's boiling, turn the heat off, keep the pot covered, and let the mushrooms hydrate to become soft, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl combine the cornmeal, flour, Parmesan, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt.
• Once the porcini mushrooms are soft, remove the lid and add the Sherry Mushrooms to them. Set aside.
• In another mixing bowl, whisk the buttermilk with the eggs and remaining 5 tablespoons of melted butter. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and pour in this wet mixture and mushrooms. Mix everything together.
• Pour the mixture into the cake pan, and use a flat-bottomed spreader to smooth the top.
• Bake in the preheated 400°F oven until the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Lightly cover with foil and bake for another 10 minutes. Let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then let cool for another 30 minutes before serving.

BAKED POLENTA WITH MUSHROOMS & BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Brush the mushroom caps gently with a clean cloth to wipe away any dirt. Arrange them, underside up, on a sheet pan, drizzle with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar, then sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bake for 20 minutes, until tender. Set aside. Lower the oven to 375 degrees.
• Meanwhile, make the polenta. Pour the stock and half-and-half into a large saucepan and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and, while whisking constantly, slowly sprinkle the cornmeal into the boiling liquid. Simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring almost constantly with a wooden spoon, until the polenta is thick and smooth. Off the heat, stir in the mascarpone, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Pour into an 8 x 11 x 2-inch baking dish.
• Arrange the mushrooms, underside up, in one layer over the polenta. Sprinkle on the Gorgonzola and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the polenta is bubbly and the cheese is melted. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot.

POLENTA WITH MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Put the dried mushrooms in a medium bowl and pour in the boiling water. Press them down into the water now and then until they are soft, anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes depending on how dry they were. When it's time to cook them, lift them out of the water with your hands or a slotted spoon and chop them roughly. Reserve the soaking water.
• Put the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When it's hot, add the soaked dried and fresh mushrooms and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender and have released all their liquid. 10 to 15 minutes.
• Add the wine and let it bubble away for 1 minute, then stir in the garlic, 1/4 cup of the parsley, and 1 cup of the reserved soaking water. Cook until the liquid thickens a bit, another 2 or 3 minutes, then taste, adjust the seasoning, and turn off the heat under the skillet.
• Put the polenta in a medium pot with 1 cup water and whisk to form a smooth slurry. Whisk in the milk and a pinch of salt and set the pot over medium-high heat. Heat until the mixture boils then lower the heat to medium and cook, whisking frequently adding more water a little at a time to prevent lumps and keep the mixture somewhat soupy. Expect to add another 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups of water before the polenta is ready. The polenta will be done in 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the grind. It will be thick and creamy, with just a little grittiness, and the mixture will pull away from the sides of the pan when you stir. When the polenta is done, turn the heat under the mushrooms to medium to warm them quickly.
• Stir the butter and cheese into the polenta then taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve the polenta topped with the mushrooms and garnished with the remaining 1/4 cup parsley.
• Cooks' Notes
• Soaking Dried Mushrooms: The time needed to soften mushrooms depends on their size and age. They're ready when you can cut one easily with a paring knife. You want to reserve the soaking liquid but leave the grit behind, so lift out the mushrooms rather than pouring to drain them.
• Making The Sauce: When the mushrooms are tender and the wine has bubbled away, stir in the garlic, parsley, and soaking water.
• Making Polenta by the Slurry Method: When the slurry just starts to boil, turn it down a bit so it bubbles gently. Add more water or stir with a wooden spoon.
• Recognizing Doneness: When the polenta starts to pull away from the pan and is no longer gritty, it's time to stir in the butter and Parmesan.

POLENTA CAKES WITH MUSHROOM RAGU

Steps:

• Gather your ingredients.
• Heat the 4 cups of vegetable broth in a saucepan on high heat until boiling. Add the polenta, lower heat to medium, and cook, whisking occasionally until it is tender, about 5 minutes.
• Whisk in the cream, parmesan cheese and butter and continue cooking until the butter is melted. Take off the heat and allow to cool for a minute.
• Grease a small sheet pan with cooking spray and pour the polenta into the pan. Smooth the polenta with a silicone spatula so it sits evenly in the pan. Allow to cool and then cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
• Remove the polenta from the refrigerator and cut into 8 equal-sized squares or rounds. Use a biscuit cutter if cutting into rounds. Lightly dust both sides of each cake with flour.
• Preheat oven to 200 F. Heat a cast iron skillet on high heat and add half of the olive oil. When the oil is warm, place 3-5 of the polenta cakes in the pan and cook each side until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pan and place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Add the rest of the oil and repeat with the remaining cakes. Place the cooked cakes in the oven to keep them warm while you prepare the ragu. Alternatively, you can prepare the ragu ahead of time and heat it when you are ready to serve.
• Gather your ingredients.
• Add the mushrooms, olive oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a cast iron skillet and cook until the mushrooms are golden brown, about 5-7 minutes.
• Add the shallots, carrots, garlic, thyme, and ground black pepper to the mushrooms and saute for another 2 minutes.
• Add in the tomato paste and stir to combine.
• Add in the vegetable broth, wine, and balsamic vinegar. Stir to combine and simmer on low heat for 8-10 minutes.
• Gather your ingredients.
• Add all of the ingredients to your food processor and blend until smooth and whipped in appearance, about 1 minute.
• To serve, arrange polenta cakes on each plate. Spoon the ragu over the cakes and top with the herbed ricotta. Sprinkle with more chopped basil if you wish.

FRIED POLENTA SQUARES WITH CREAMY MUSHROOM RAGU

Steps:

• Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Whisk in the polenta. Once it begins to thicken, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes until creamy and thick, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Stir in the Parmesan and a 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Stir until melted and cheese is no longer visible. Remove from heat.
• Line an 8x11 inch baking dish with Reynolds Wrap® Aluminum Foil and carefully pour the polenta into the baking dish, using a spatula to smooth it to an even thickness, about 3/4 inch. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours and up to two days until firm.
• While the polenta chills, make your ragu. In a large heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and garlic and saute until fragrant and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir often to prevent browning. Add mushrooms and thyme and cook over medium-high heat until the mushrooms start to release their liquid. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and continue to cook another 5 minutes until they begin to soften more.
• Add flour, stirring, until it is no longer visible, about 1 minute. Add in the wine, cream and sugar, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Taste and adjust salt if desired. Simmer until thick and creamy and the mushrooms are nicely coated, about 15 minutes. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and 1/2 cup minced parsley. Set aside and cover to keep warm.
• Slice your polenta into squares -- whatever size you desire. Wipe down your skillet, coat it with nonstick cooking spray, and heat it over medium-high. Fry the squares in the pan until golden brown and warmed through. To serve, top the squares with warm mushroom ragu.

CRISPY POLENTA CAKES WITH CHERRY-AND-MUSHROOM RAGU

Steps:

• Bring water and milk to just below a boil in a medium saucepan over high. Reduce heat to low, and whisk in polenta, cheese, 1/2 teaspoon of the garlic, and 1/8 teaspoon of the salt. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens and begins to pull away from sides of pan, about 3 minutes.
• Spoon polenta mixture into an 8-inch square baking pan lined with plastic wrap. Top with another layer of plastic wrap, and press mixture into an even layer in pan. Freeze until set, about 45 minutes.
• While polenta sets, heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high until sizzling. Add mushrooms; cook, undisturbed, until bottoms have browned, about 4 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and browned all over, about 8 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium. Add shallot, thyme, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon garlic. Cook, stirring often, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in vegetable broth, balsamic, and remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is well blended, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in Brussels sprout leaves and cherries, and cover to keep warm.
• Turn polenta mixture out onto a cutting board, and cut into 4 (3-inch) circles using a round cutter. (Reserve remaining polenta mixture for another use.) Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high; swirl to coat. Add polenta cakes to hot oil, and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 4 minutes per side.
• Place 1 polenta cake on each of 4 plates; top each with 3/4 cup of the cherry-mushroom ragu.

POLENTA CAKES

Steps:

• Bring water or broth to a boil and add cornmeal and salt. Reduce heat to low and stir for 5 mintues. Add 1/4 cup of cheese and stir until melted and well combined. Remove from heat, cover, and allow to cool for 30 minutes.
• Cut a piece of parchment paper to line a 9x13" baking pan, allowing for enough parchment paper to come up over the edge to make it easy to lift polenta cake once cooled. Refrigerate for at least two hours, or overnight.
• Gently remove polenta from baking pan and place on a cutting board. Cut into desired shapes using a sharp knife or bisucuit cutter.
• Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a non-stick saute pan. Working in batchs of 3-4 at a time, saute each cake for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown.
• Remove from pan using a slotted spatula and plate on a serving dish or single plate. Top with remaining cheese, rosemary, salt and papper.

POLENTA CORN CAKES WITH WILD MUSHROOM PAN ROAST '21' CLUB

Steps:

• Make polenta:
• Preheat broiler and butter an 8-inch square baking pan.
• On a rack of a broiler pan broil corn about 4 inches from heat, turning it occasionally, until lightly browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Cool corn and cut kernels from cobs.
• In a large heavy saucepan stir together milk and cornmeal and add corn kernels and butter. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer, stirring constantly to keep mixture from sticking and burning and adding water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if mixture becomes too thick 20 minutes. Stir in cheese until incorporated and season with salt. Pour polenta into baking pan spreading evenly, and cool. Chill polenta until cold, 2 to 3 hours. Polenta may be made 2 days ahead and chilled covered.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Make mushrooms:
• If using fresh or dried shiitake discard stems. Slice mushrooms. In a 10-inch skillet heat butter over moderately high heat until foam subsides and sauté mushrooms and shallots with salt to taste until mushrooms begin to brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Add broth and boil until reduced by about half. Remove skillet from heat and add thyme, pepper, and salt to taste. Keep mushrooms warm.
• Unmold polenta onto a cutting board and cut into 16 triangles or 2-inch squares.
• On a lightly oiled baking sheet bake polenta pieces until heated through, 10 to 15 minutes, and broil about 4 inches from heat until golden, about 2 minutes.
• Arrange 2 polenta pieces on each of 8 plates. Spoon mushrooms over polenta and garnish with nuts.

POLENTA CAKES WITH MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Over a medium-high heat in a large saucepan that allows for stirring, heat milk, cornmeal and 2 cups water. Give it an initial stir to blend ingredients, then let cook until it thickens up a bit, about 5 minutes. At this point, stir continuously so that contents thicken up without sticking to saucepan, about 10 minutes. Add the mascarpone and Parmesan. Cook, stirring, until polenta is thick enough to pour out, another 5 minutes. Pour into individual muffin pans or one big pan. Let cool at room temperature for approximately 10 minutes. Refrigerate the polenta for later use.
• When you're ready to serve the polenta: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Top the polenta cake with the Sauteed Mushrooms and shredded mozzarella, if using, and bake 5 to 8 minutes. Enjoy!
• Over a medium-high heat, heat oil in a medium frying pan. Add garlic and let brown, approximately 1 minute. Throw in mushrooms and allow to brown and cook down, stirring, approximately 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Lower heat to low and let simmer for an additional 5 minutes.