Soft Polenta with Forest Mushrooms

Serves 6 to 10

Polenta is cornmeal cooked with liquid—usually water or stock—until it thickens. A careful cook stirs it with a wooden spoon, never altering the direction of the stir. Soft polenta has the consistency of hot cereal, while firm polenta, which is cooked with less liquid, cools to form a firm, sliceable block. In Italy, firm polenta is traditionally sliced with a length of taut string. Both types of polenta can be sautéed, grilled, baked, or fried and served as a side dish or as part of a main course. I like to serve it as an amuse with a tumble of earthy mushrooms cooked with shallots until softened. When you select polenta meal for this recipe, try to buy a good imported brand. If you cannot find it, substitute stone-ground domestic cornmeal. Try not to buy instant polenta, which never achieves quite the desired consistency. Of course, if you put enough cheese and butter on anything, it tastes good!

ingredients

1/2 cup polenta meal or cornmeal
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1/4 cup chopped shiitake mushrooms
1/4 cup chopped black trumpet or chanterelle mushrooms
1/4 cup chopped oyster mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons dry white wine
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, or more
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

directions

1
Put the polenta meal and cream in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the bottom from burning.
2
Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the mushrooms and sauté for 10 to 15 minutes or until the mushrooms are browned and softened. Add the garlic, shallots, and bay leaf and cook for an additional 3 minutes or until the garlic and shallots are softened. Add the white wine while stirring the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to dissolve any browned solids into the liquid.
3
Remove from the heat, remove and discard the bay leaf, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover to keep warm.
4
Add the cheese and butter to the warm polenta. Stir until the butter melts and the cheese is incorporated. Taste and add more cheese, if desired.
5
To serve, arrange a mound of polenta on a small plate. Top with some of the mixed mushroom sauté. Repeat to make 5 to 9 more servings.