Polenta With Wild Mushroom Sauce Recipes

WILD MUSHROOM POLENTA WITH PORCINI SAUCE

Steps:

• Prep the porcini:
• In a small bowl, combine porcini mushrooms and 1 cup warm water. Let stand until mushrooms soften, about 30 minutes. Remove porcini mushrooms from the liquid, strain and reserve liquid. Finely chop the mushrooms and set aside.
• Roast the mushrooms:
• While the porcini are soaking, set racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat oven to 450°F. On two rimmed baking sheets, gently toss mushrooms with thyme and oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast mushrooms until edges are browned, about 10 minutes. Set aside until ready to use.
• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Sauté shallot until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, and sauté for 2 minutes more. Add white wine and bay leaf and increase heat; boil until most liquid evaporates, about 7 minutes. Add reserved chopped porcini mushrooms, vegetable stock, and reserved mushroom liquid. Boil until liquid is reduced to 1 cup, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove bay leaf.
• In a small bowl, stir butter and flour together until it forms a paste. Whisk the butter mixture into the mushroom sauce. Simmer until sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.
• Make the polenta:
• In a large saucepan, bring 6 cups water and the salt to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and whisk in the polenta, whisking constantly to make sure there are no lumps. Cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until thickened and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in the cheese,and butter. Season with salt and pepper. Serve polenta immediately topped with porcini sauce and roasted mushrooms.

MUSHROOM POLENTA

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 8 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms, season with salt and brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon each butter and fresh thyme and 1 minced shallot; cook 30 seconds. Meanwhile, simmer 3 cups mushroom broth and a pinch of salt in a saucepan. Whisk in 3/4 cup quick-cooking polenta; stir until thickened, 5 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan; season with salt and pepper. Top with the mushrooms, chopped parsley, more Parmesan and pepper.

GRILLED POLENTA WITH MUSHROOM SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large heavy saucepan, saute shallot in oil until tender. Add the basil, garlic and oregano; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in wine. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes., Add the broth, tomatoes and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce to heat to a gentle boil; slowly whisk in cornmeal. Cook and stir with a wooden spoon for 15-20 minutes or until polenta is thickened and pulls away cleanly from the side of the pan. Spread into a 9-in. square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes., Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute mushrooms and shallot in oil until tender. Add the garlic, salt and pepper; cook 1 minute longer. Add wine, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Gradually stir in cream. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook and stir for 5-10 minutes or until slightly thickened., Cut polenta into nine squares. Grill, covered, over medium heat for 5-7 minutes on each side or until crisp and golden brown. Serve with mushroom sauce.

POLENTA WITH WILD MUSHROOMS AND MARINARA SAUCE

Steps:

• To make the polenta, place it and 3 1/2 cups water in a heavy 2 1/2- or 3-quart saucepan with a lid, and stir to combine. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly until the fine polenta particles remain suspended and evenly distributed in the water without continuous stirring. This should take 5 to 8 minutes.
• Reduce heat to low, cover partly and cook, stirring often, until polenta is soft and holds its shape on a spoon, about 35 minutes. Whisk in salt after 20 minutes. When polenta is done, whisk in pepper, butter and Parmesan.
• While polenta is cooking, pan-cook mushrooms. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over high heat in a wide, heavy skillet or a wok. Add mushrooms and cook, tossing and stirring often, until they sear and begin to sweat, about 3 minutes.
• Reduce heat under mushrooms to medium. Add another tablespoon oil and the shallots and cook, stirring, until just tender, 3 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, and rosemary or sage. Season with salt and pepper and continue to cook over medium heat until mushrooms are soft, about 5 more minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring, until it is no longer visible in the pan. Add parsley, taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat.
• As soon as polenta is soft, spoon into wide bowls or onto plates. Make a depression in the middle with the back of a spoon and add a spoonful of hot tomato sauce. Top with a spoonful of mushrooms, sprinkle with Parmesan if desired, and serve.

POLENTA WITH WILD MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in large skillet and cook mushrooms over medium heat until golden brown. Season and keep warm.In a medium saucepan, bring stock or water to a boil. Stir in cornmeal. Reduce heat to a simmer and stir occasionally to prevent lumps. Cook for approximately 30 minutes. Taste the polenta, it should be thick and smooth without a coarse texture. Cook over low heat until the texture is correct. Stir in butter, cheese and salt and pepper. Serve hot as a side or main dish.

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.

SAUTEED WILD MUSHROOMS OVER CREAMY CHEESY POLENTA

Steps:

• Mushrooms:
• Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high. When the olive oil is hot add 2 sprigs of rosemary and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the rosemary and add the shallots.
• Cook the shallots until translucent, about 4 minutes, then add the mushrooms and saute until they release their liquid, about 8 minutes. Stir in the white wine bring to a simmer about 3 minutes.
• Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper and simmer for 3 minutes. Stir in a pinch of red pepper flakes. Transfer the mushrooms to a serving bowl and garnish with chopped parsley.
• Polenta:
• Heat the olive oil in saucepan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot add the onions and saute for 5 minutes. Add the chopped garlic and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock and bring to boil, then add the oregano and basil. Slowly pour in the polenta and stir constantly until the polenta thickens. Stir in the heavy cream and fontina and mix until you have a smooth and creamy texture. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the polenta to a serving dish and garnish with Parmesan and chives.
• Shrimp:
• Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a large bowl.
• Devein the shrimp by cutting down the back with scissors and removing the vein. Leave the shrimp in the shell. Use your fingers to separate the shell from sides of the shrimp and add them to the marinade. Set aside to marinate for 1 hour. Set the grill temperature for medium-high and let it heat up. Put the shrimp on the grill and cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Reduce the remaining marinade on a side burner in a small pan. Remove the shrimp to a platter. Drizzle with the reduced marinade and garnish with scallions.

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 WITH TOMATO AND WILD MUSHROOM SAUCE

Steps:

• Cover mushrooms with hot water and set aside.
• Crush the plum tomatoes between the fingers and place in pot, without the juice, along with the thyme, oregano and pepper. Cook over medium high heat for 10 minutes, until most of liquid has been absorbed.
• Drain mushrooms and squeeze out liquid; chop coarsely and add to tomatoes. Strain leftover liquid. Add some mushroom liquid if tomato mixture has become too dry.
• Meanwhile, bring chicken stock to boil (follow directions on instant polenta package for amount of liquid needed).
• When stock has boiled, slowly add polenta, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick and liquid has been absorbed.
• Serve polenta topped with the tomato-mushroom sauce and grated cheese.

POLENTA WITH WILD MUSHROOM SAUCE

Steps:

• Place cornmeal and 1/2 teaspoon salt in saucepan.
• Gradually add water stirring constantly with whisk.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook 15 minutes stirring frequently.
• Spoon into 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray.
• Press plastic wrap onto surface. Chill 2 hours until firm.
• Heat oil in skillet. Add garlic, thyme sprigs, rosemary sprig.
• Cook 3 minutes until garlic begins to brown.
• Stir in mushrooms and next 5 ingredients.
• Bring to a boil.
• cover, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
• Discard thyme and rosemary.
• Add parsley, cook uncovered 5 minutes.
• Saute polenta in frying pan coated with cooking spray until golden (or spray with cooking spray and bake in hot oven until golden and crisp on outside). Serve with mushroom sauce.