Rosted Mushrooms with Sherry and Creamy Polenta

Johnny West

Well-known member
Serves 2 to 3

For the polenta-:

1 cup milk, optional
1 cup polenta or stone-ground coarse cornmeal
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

For the roasted mushrooms-:

1 pound mushrooms, such as a mix of cremini and shiitakes
Few sprigs thyme
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup sherry or dry white wine
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus more to taste
Kosher salt

Freshly cracked pepper For the polenta, put 4 cups of cold water into a medium, heavy-bottomed pot with the 1 cup of milk, if using. Alternatively use 5 cups cold water. Stir in the polenta and the teaspoon of kosher salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high high, stirring often. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the polenta stirring occasionally, until it is tender, 45 to 60 minutes. The polenta will swell and thicken as it cooks. If it gets too thick before it's finished cooking, stir in more water as needed. Stir in the butter. Taste, and add more salt as needed. Meanwhile, make the roasted mushrooms: Preheat the oven to 325° F. Remove the stems from the shiitakes (and reserve for stock-making or the compost pile or discard). Trim off the very bottom end of the cremini stems and discard. Quarter the mushrooms. In a 9- by 13-inch baking dish, combine the mushrooms, thyme sprigs, shallots, garlic, sherry, and olive oil. Season with a big pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Toss to distribute everything evenly, then spread in a an even layer. Cover pan with foil, transfer pan to the oven, and cook for 30 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and raise the heat to 450° F. Remove the foil. Holding the mushrooms in the pan with a spatula, drain the juices into a small saucepan and set aside. Spread the mushrooms out again, return pan to the oven, and roast until the mushrooms are beginning to brown, 15 to 20 minutes longer, stirring after 10 minutes. Bring the juices to a gentle simmer. Let the juices reduce slowly while the mushrooms finish cooking—they don't need to reduce by half or any particular amount, but the flavors will concentrate as it simmers/reduces. When the mushroom are nearly done, add the tablespoon of butter to the juices. When it has incorporated into the juices, taste them. Adjust seasoning as needed with more salt or butter to taste. To serve: Ladle polenta into bowls, spoon mushrooms over top, drizzle with sauce.
 

Johnny West

Well-known member
It was a lot of work but good. The mushrooms are crimini, shitaki, and chantrelles.
 

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QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Wowwwwwwwwwwwwww!! That looks spectacular!

Bet your vegetarian son would be proud!

Lee
 

Johnny West

Well-known member
Yes, and wish he was here. I'll fix it for him next time he's home.
The leftover polenta will be fried up for Saturday morning breakie.
 

Johnny West

Well-known member
There was not a lot of juice from the mushrooms so made a sauce with beef consommé and it was a bit sweet. Also, using the consommé nixed it being vegetarian and for my son I'd use veg broth.
 

ChowderMan

Pizza Chef
Super Site Supporter
hmmm, relooking the rx - 1/4 cup sherry is a bit on the scant side.

for chicken-mushroom marsala (people=2) I use a full cup of marsala. it's pretty easy to reduce it to the consistency / volume you need....
 
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