Rosie Makes Creamy Polenta With Wild Mushrooms For Lunch.

 

 Yum.

Just yum.
Look at the steam wafting off.

Here's my lunch on a cold rainy day -

creamy, cheesy polenta

and a wild mushroom sauté with fresh thyme.

Dang, it's supposed to be spring.

This is a winter meal.

Rosie's Polenta and Wild Mushroom Sauté

Polenta

3 1/2 cups water

1 tsp salt

1 cup plain yellow corn meal (not self-rising)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2/3 cup cream

4 TB unsalted butter, cut into small dice

Bring water to boil.

Add salt.

Turn heat to low and slowly whisk in cornmeal.

Be careful.  Cornmeal spits.

Cook on low for twenty minutes or so,

whisking occasionally.

Remove from heat and

stir in cheese, cream, and butter.

Wild Mushroom Sauté

 wild mushroom mix - enoki, baby bella, shiitake, and oyster

1 TB unsalted butter

1 TB oil  (I used Olio Carli Extra Virgin Olive Oil.)

1/4 cup Chardonnay 

fresh thyme leaves

Heat pan over medium high heat.

Add oil and butter.

When butter gets foamy add in 2 handfuls of mushrooms.

Sauté, tossing, until mushrooms brown and become very aromatic,

about 5 minutes.

Add in the Chardonnay and cook until evaporated, 2-3 minutes.

To plate, pour a pretty pool of polenta on your platter.

Add mushrooms and sprinkle thyme leaves over top.

Sit in front of your fireplace in April and enjoy.

Cornmeal into boiling water.

Turn heat to low.

Whisk until smooth.

After 20-25 minutes,

remove from heat and add in butter ...

... and Parmesan ...

... and cream.

Whisk until smooth.

Cover and set aside while you prepare the mushrooms.

I have a collection of enoki, oyster, shiitaki, and baby bellas.

Sauté.

Never salt mushrooms until AFTER you cook them.

Salting brings the moisture out

and the mushrooms will steam, not sear.

Add in the wine.

This hit the spot.
Creamy and cheesy and earthy.
The thyme is a nice accent.

After I made my polenta and wild mushroom dish,

I happened to be scanning through the Food Network site

and found Rachael's recipe for polenta and wild mushroom fricasée.

 Here's Rachael's polenta and mushrooms:

Picture from Food Network.

And here's my polenta and mushrooms: