Cheesy polenta and mushrooms

How to make Cheesy polenta and mushrooms recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 10 minutes, Cooking time 15 minutes

Ingredients:
400 g (13 oz) mixed wild mushrooms, such as porcini, girolles and chanterelles
25 g (1 oz) butter
2 garlic cloves, chopped
5 whole sage leaves
50 ml (2 fl oz) dry vermouth
salt and pepper
Polenta
750 ml (1¼ pints) water
200 g (7 oz) instant polenta
50 g (2 oz) Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
50 g (2 oz) butter, cubed

Method:
Brush away any soil and grit from the mushrooms with a moist cloth, then slice the porcini and tear any other large mushrooms in half. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the garlic, sage and the dense, tougher mushrooms and cook for 2–3 minutes. Add the remaining mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and cook for 2–3 minutes until soft and cooked through. Pour in the vermouth and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

For the polenta, bring the measurement water to the boil in a large, heavy-based saucepan. Put the polenta in a jug and pour into the water in a slow but steady stream, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon to prevent any lumps forming.

Reduce the heat to a slow simmer and cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, or until the polenta is thick and comes away from the side of the pan. Stir in the butter and season with salt and pepper.

Divide the polenta between 4 serving plates, then top with the mushrooms.

For cheesy polenta with mushrooms & tomato, cook the mushrooms as above, but replace the rosemary with 3 chopped thyme sprigs and use 150 ml (¼ pint) full-bodied red wine instead of the vermouth. When the wine has boiled for 1 minute, stir in 300 ml (½ pint) passata.

Season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Cook the polenta as above, then gradually stir in the cheese. Serve with the mushroom and tomato mixture.

Cheesy polenta and mushrooms