Wild Mushroom Ragu With Polenta Recipes

WILD MUSHROOM RAGú WITH CREAMY POLENTA

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes until reduced and caramelized, stirring only a few times. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add garlic, shallot, rosemary and oregano, and cook for 5 more minutes. Add tomato sauce and red wine, stir and cook an additional 5 minutes more while you prepare the polenta.
• In a separate saucepan, heat the broth and milk over medium heat. When bubbles start to surface, gently whisk in cornmeal and stir together. Reduce heat to low and let cook until thick, stirring often, about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in non-dairy butter and a pinch each of salt and pepper.
• While the polenta is simmering, finish the ragú. Add the vegetable broth to the mushroom sauce, reduce heat to low and simmer until polenta is done cooking. Remove the ragú from heat and whisk in 1 tablespoon (15 g) butter. Garnish with parsley.

WILD MUSHROOM RAGOûT ON CRISPY POLENTA WITH COMTE CHEESE

Steps:

• For polenta:
• Generously butter 13x9x1- inch baking sheet. Bring milk, broth, and bay leaf to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Remove saucepan from heat; cover and let steep 20 minutes to allow flavors to develop. Discard bay leaf. Bring liquid to boil. Gradually add polenta, whisking constantly until smooth. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until polenta is very thick, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Stir in Comté cheese and butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer polenta to prepared 13x9x1-inch baking sheet. Using wet hands, press polenta evenly over sheet to edges. Chill until firm, at least 3 hours. Cut polenta into 20 squares. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
• For mushroom ragout:
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter with 2 tablespoons oil in large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add all mushrooms and sauté until tender and browned, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add shallots and balsamic vinegar; sauté until tender, about 2 minutes. Season lightly to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
• Rewarm mushrooms in large skillet over medium-high heat until heated through. Add broth and simmer 1 minute. Stir in crème fraîche and half of parsley. Season mushroom ragout to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat; cover to keep warm.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 300°F. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add polenta squares to skillet and cook until browned, about 2 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer to rimmed baking sheet and keep warm in oven while cooking remaining polenta squares.
• Arrange 2 polenta squares on each plate. Top each with warm mushroom ragout; sprinkle with grated Comté cheese and remaining parsley and serve.
• MORE INFO:
• Comté is a semi-firm, Gruyère-style cow's-milk cheese made primarily in France's Franche-Comté region. It adds great flavor to this recipe and would also be delicious on a cheese platter. Comté is available at some supermarkets, cheese shops, and specialty foods stores.
• *Polenta can be found at some supermarkets, as well as at natural foods stores and Italian markets. If polenta is unavailable, substitute an equal amount of regular yellow cornmeal and cook it about half as long.

WILD MUSHROOM AND PARSNIP RAGOUT WITH CHEESY POLENTA

Steps:

• Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium. Add onion, garlic, and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion starts to release moisture and turns translucent, 2-3 minutes. Add parsnip and cook until parsnip begins to soften, 3-5 minutes more. Add mushrooms and remaining 1 Tbsp. oil and cook until mushrooms are well-browned and cooked through, 5-7 minutes more.
• Add miso, tomato paste, and 3/4 tsp. salt to pan and cook, stirring, until tomato paste begins to caramelize, about 1 minute. Add cornstarch and stir to coat, about 30 seconds. Add wine and cook, scraping bottom of pan with a wooden spoon to release brown bits, then add 1 1/2 cups room-temperature water. Bring mixture to a simmer, continuing to scrape bottom of pan and adding water by the tablespoon if pan starts to dry out, and cook until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 10-12 minutes. Taste and season with salt if needed.
• Meanwhile, cook polenta, 5 cups milk, and 1 tsp. salt according to package directions. When polenta thickens, stir in 1/4 cup cheese. Taste and add salt and milk, if needed.
• Transfer polenta to a large serving bowl. Top with mushroom ragout, remaining 1/4 cup cheese, and hazelnuts.