Polenta is cornmeal and comes in yellow and white as well as in instant form. Served on soup plates and eaten with a spoon, this soft polenta is topped with a mushroom stew that is particularly delicious when it incorporates some wild varieties. A satisfying side, the polenta can also be served in larger portions as a vegetarian main course.
Ingredients
4 as a first course or side dish, 2 as a main course
Polenta
Mushroom Ragout
FOR THE POLENTA
Step 1
Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Sprinkle the cornmeal on top while mixing it in with a whisk, and stir in the salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid to prevent splattering, and cook gently for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the polenta is cooked and has the consistency of a creamy puree. Set aside, covered.
FOR THE RAGOUT
Step 2
Heat the butter and oil in a large saucepan. When they are hot, add the onion and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and sauté over high heat for about 2 minutes, until the liquid emerges from them and evaporates. Add the garlic, tomatoes, corn, chicken stock, salt, and pepper and bring to a strong boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
Step 3
To serve, ladle the polenta into the center of four soup plates and pour the mushroom ragout on top of and around it. Sprinkle with the chives and serve.
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Reviews (8)
Back to TopMy brother made this (I found the recipe) the other night for dinner. We doubled the recipe, and have some for a weekend breakfast with poached eggs and bacon. The recipe is great as written, though the polenta was too firm for my taste. It may depend on the brand you use. I'll add more liquid to the leftovers to thin them to more of an oatmeal consistency. Overall, Yummy! A keeper.
Suzinsf
San Francisco
3/9/2017
This was very good - I added thyme, sundried tomatoes, extra mushrooms ( shiitake and oyster) and kalamata olives. Super yum! Broiled once put together.
kes96
Denver, CO
3/2/2015
I did use reconstituted dried porcinis and it was great! I also used precooked polenta- broiled slices- and served the ragu over it.
hinder
Medford, NJ
1/14/2014
This recipe was good, not that great though. It felt like it was missing something so I added more mushrooms and some kale to kick up the texture and nutrition. Maybe dried porcini mushrooms and the polenta cooked in the liquid could have given more depth.
missBeckymacg
5/10/2013
这道菜是好的,但它有点乏味。智慧h a few tweeks however, it becomes really delicious. I followed the suggestions of two other reviewers and added a Tbsp of fresh thyme and doubled the mushrooms. Don't used bagged corn. The fresh corn is really nice in this dish. I also added a jar of sun-dried tomatoes for more flavor. Finally, I used veggie broth instead of chicken for my wonderful vegan Mother-in-law. It turned out fantastic. For the non-vegans I had garlic and thyme sauteed shrimp and grated Parmesan cheese to go on top. It was a huge success all the way around and was even better the next day.
kepbennett
9/6/2012
I made a few major changes to this recipe: firstly, I added way more mushrooms than the recipe called for. Secondly-and I think this was the most significant change-I used wild mushrooms. I do NOT recommend doing this unless you are 100% sure what you're picking is edible. Since the mushrooms I used had a more delicate flavor than store bought mushrooms, I did not use tomatoes because I think it would overpower the subtle mushroom flavor. Instead I added fresh sage, some parmesan, and cooked the polenta in broth and water to add more depth to the dish. Made a delicious, comforting weeknight meal.
sub224
5/25/2012
I thought this was great! I did make several changes. As a previous reviewer recommended, I added more mushrooms (about 8oz.) and I let everything simmer together for much longer than the recipe states. This made it all perfectly flavorful. I also added some slices of a mild Italian sausage that I cooked up and threw in at the end. It was a fun easy dinner:)
Seattlite
Seattle, WA
1/13/2012
While this is a light and tasty vegetarian dish, I thought it lacked depth of flavor on its own. More mushrooms might help, but in the end I added some reduced porcini broth and topped it with shaved parmesan. I served it with a simple roasted chicken breast that I sprinkled with fresh thyme, salt and pepper.
srj10
La Jolla, CA
11/8/2011
