Polenta with Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 1 cup Coarse Cornmeal (for the penta, sifted if possible)
• 4 cups Water (for boiling the penta)
• 1.5 teaspoons Salt (divide between mushroom stew and penta water)
• 4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter (2 tbsp for sauté, 2 tbsp to finish penta)
• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil (extra-virgin preferred)
• 1 large Yellow Onion (quartered, coarsely chopped)
• 2 tablespoons Italian Flat-Leaf Parsley (chopped, for garnish and sofrito)
• 500 grams Mixed Fresh Mushrooms (slice thinly, stems included, variety optional)
• 30 grams Dried Porcini Mushrooms (reconstituted in boiling water for 20 minutes, stems discarded)
• 120 ml Heavy Cream (adds richness to the mushroom sauce)
• 1 teaspoon Black Pepper (freshly ground, to taste)

Instructions

1. Prepare Mushrooms and Onion

   Trim the stems of the fresh mushrooms, slice the caps about ½ inch thick, and thinly slice the stems. Quarter the onion and coarsely chop it. Roughly chop the flat‑leaf parsley.

   Time: PT10M

2. Rehydrate Dried Mushrooms

   Place the dried porcini in a bowl, cover with boiling water and let soak for 20 minutes. After soaking, discard the woody stems, reserve the mushroom‑infused water, and strain the caps.

   Time: PT20M

3. Sauté Onion

   Heat the skillet over medium‑high heat, melt 2 tbsp butter and add 2 tbsp olive oil. Add the chopped onion and sauté until just wilted, about 5 minutes. Do not let it brown.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: medium-high

4. Cook Fresh Mushrooms

   Add the sliced fresh mushrooms to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they release their moisture and shrink, about 7 minutes.

   Time: PT7M

   Temperature: medium-high

5. Add Dried Mushrooms and Season

   Stir in the rehydrated dried mushroom caps, sprinkle a pinch of salt, and pour in about ¼ cup of the reserved mushroom water. Continue cooking for 15 minutes, allowing flavors to meld and excess liquid to evaporate.

   Time: PT15M

   Temperature: medium

6. Finish Mushroom Stew with Cream

   Stir in the heavy cream, increase heat to bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce to a low simmer for 3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.

   Time: PT3M

   Temperature: medium

7. Boil Water for Penta

   In a separate saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a rolling boil.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: high

8. Cook the Penta (Polenta)

   Add 1.5 tsp salt to the boiling water, then sprinkle the cornmeal in a steady stream while whisking continuously to avoid lumps. Reduce heat to medium, keep a gentle boil, and stir constantly, scraping the bottom and sides, for about 40 minutes until the mixture is thick, creamy, and the grains are tender.

   Time: PT40M

   Temperature: medium

9. Finish the Penta

   Turn off the heat and stir in the remaining 2 tbsp butter until fully melted, leaving the penta slightly runny.

   Time: PT2M

10. Plate and Garnish

    Spoon a generous portion of the hot penta onto serving bowls, top with the mushroom stew, and garnish with chopped flat‑leaf parsley.

    Time: PT3M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350

Protein

8 g

Carbohydrates

45 g

Fat

12 g

Fiber

5 g