Mushroom Ragout With Oven Polenta

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* Exported from MasterCook *

 

Mushroom Ragout With Oven Polenta

 

Recipe By : California Home Cooking

Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00

Categories : Polenta Cookbook

 

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

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***POLENTA***

1 cup cornmeal -- coarse-ground

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1 tablespoon butter -- cut into pieces

1/2 cup asiago cheese -- grated

OR dry jack

***RAGOUT***

1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms -- in med. pieces

(about 1/2 ounce)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large shallot -- minced

1 clove garlic

1 pound fresh mushrooms -- assorted*

1/2 cup italian parsley -- minced

kosher salt

fresh black pepper

 

Mushrooms such as: chanterelles, oysters, shiitakes, or cremini

 

Make the polenta: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the cornmeal

with 4 cups of water in a 1-1/2 quart baking dish. Add the salt, pepper,

and butter. Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes. Stir the polenta, add the

cheese, and bake for 10 minutes more, until the cornmeal is tender and all

of the liquid is absorbed. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

 

Meanwhile, soak the porcini in 1-1/2 cups hot water until they are soft,

about 15 minutes. While the porcini soak, melt the butter in a large

skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot, and saute it until it is soft

and fragrant, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic, and saute for 2 minutes

more. Add the fresh mushrooms, and saute them for 4 to 5 minutes, or until

they soften.

 

Strain the porcini, reserving the soaking liquid, and chop them. Add the

porcini and the liquid to the fresh mushroom mixture, cover the pan, reduce

the heat to low, and cook until the mushroooms are completely limp, 8 to 15

minutes, depending on the varieties of mushrooms. Uncover the skillet,

increase the heat to high, and cook until the liquid is almost completely

reduced, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in the parsley, and season with salt and pepper.

 

Spoon the polenta onto individual plates, spoon the ragout over it, and

serve immediately.

 

Notes: Use whatever mushrooms are available. Cooking polenta in the oven

is quick and the cornmeal develops a rich flavor. You only have to stir

the polenta once! But remember that polenta cooked in this way firms up

very quickly.

 

Source: California Home Cooking: American cooking in the California style

by Michele Anna Jordan, 1997

 

Typos by Brenda Adams <adamsfmle; posted Veg-Recipes 3/99.

 

 

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