Polenta With Italian Peppers And Mushrooms Recipes

POLENTA WITH SPICY SAUSAGE-VEGGIE SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven's broiler and set the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source.
• Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Arrange the polenta slices on the sheet and spray them lightly with cooking spray. Broil until lightly browned about 5 minutes; turn and broil other side for 5 minutes. Keep warm.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage, breaking it up as it browns. When sausage has lost any pink color, add the onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, zucchini, and Italian seasoning. Cook until vegetables are crisp tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the spaghetti sauce and cook until heated through and just starting to simmer.
• To serve, spoon the sauce on slices of polenta. Top with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

CREAMY POLENTA WITH MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• For the polenta, bring 4 1/2 cups water and the milk to a high simmer in a medium-size heavy saucepan set over medium-high heat. Add salt. Pour the cornmeal slowly into the liquid, stirring with a wire whisk to prevent clumping. Continue stirring as the mixture thickens, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Turn heat to low. Cook for approximately 40 to 45 minutes, stirring every 5 to 10 minutes. If the polenta becomes quite thick, thin it with 1/2 cup water, stir well and continue cooking. Add up to 1 cup more water as necessary, to keep the polenta soft enough to stir.
• Add the butter to pot, and stir well. Add the Parmesan, if using. Taste for seasoning. Set the covered saucepan in a pot of barely simmering water, and keep warm for up to an hour or so.
• Meanwhile, put the dried mushrooms in a small bowl, and cover with about 1/2 cup boiling water. Allow to steep for 20 minutes. Remove the mushrooms, and pat dry, then chop roughly. Reserve the mushroom stock.
• Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a sauté pan set over high heat until it has melted. Add the garlic and cook until it starts to sizzle, about 30 seconds. Do not let the garlic brown.
• Add the fresh and reconstituted mushrooms and thyme to the pan, and sauté 3 to 4 minutes, turning until browned. Add about 1/4 cup of the mushroom stock to deglaze the surface, using a wooden spoon to scrape at the browned bits. Allow the stock to reduce by half, then turn the heat to medium-low and add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter, whisking to combine, followed by the soy sauce, cream and olive oil. Allow mixture to cook until it thickens a little, then remove from heat. Taste for seasoning, adding black pepper, if desired.
• Put the polenta in a warmed bowl, then top with mushrooms and the sauce. Serve immediately.

POLENTA WITH MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Put the dried mushrooms in a medium bowl and pour in the boiling water. Press them down into the water now and then until they are soft, anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes depending on how dry they were. When it's time to cook them, lift them out of the water with your hands or a slotted spoon and chop them roughly. Reserve the soaking water.
• Put the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When it's hot, add the soaked dried and fresh mushrooms and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender and have released all their liquid. 10 to 15 minutes.
• Add the wine and let it bubble away for 1 minute, then stir in the garlic, 1/4 cup of the parsley, and 1 cup of the reserved soaking water. Cook until the liquid thickens a bit, another 2 or 3 minutes, then taste, adjust the seasoning, and turn off the heat under the skillet.
• Put the polenta in a medium pot with 1 cup water and whisk to form a smooth slurry. Whisk in the milk and a pinch of salt and set the pot over medium-high heat. Heat until the mixture boils then lower the heat to medium and cook, whisking frequently adding more water a little at a time to prevent lumps and keep the mixture somewhat soupy. Expect to add another 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups of water before the polenta is ready. The polenta will be done in 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the grind. It will be thick and creamy, with just a little grittiness, and the mixture will pull away from the sides of the pan when you stir. When the polenta is done, turn the heat under the mushrooms to medium to warm them quickly.
• Stir the butter and cheese into the polenta then taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve the polenta topped with the mushrooms and garnished with the remaining 1/4 cup parsley.
• Cooks' Notes
• Soaking Dried Mushrooms: The time needed to soften mushrooms depends on their size and age. They're ready when you can cut one easily with a paring knife. You want to reserve the soaking liquid but leave the grit behind, so lift out the mushrooms rather than pouring to drain them.
• Making The Sauce: When the mushrooms are tender and the wine has bubbled away, stir in the garlic, parsley, and soaking water.
• Making Polenta by the Slurry Method: When the slurry just starts to boil, turn it down a bit so it bubbles gently. Add more water or stir with a wooden spoon.
• Recognizing Doneness: When the polenta starts to pull away from the pan and is no longer gritty, it's time to stir in the butter and Parmesan.

CREAMY POLENTA WITH MUSHROOMS RECIPE

Steps:

• To begin with Creamy Polenta with Mushrooms, first bring water and milk to a boil in a large saucepan. Once it is boiled, add bay leaf, salt and pepper.
• Once the mixture starts boiling, gradually add the corn meal (in a stream) stirring constantly.
• Keep stirring/whisking till the mixture begins to thicken. Reduce the heat and cook till it is thick, stirring frequently for about 35-40 minutes.
• Add a little water if required to make it thin and whisk. Stir in the butter and whisk again.
• The next step is to make the mushrooms. Heat oil in a pan and add onion and garlic. Saute it for about 1-2 minutes.
• After 1-2 minutes, add the flour and cook for a few seconds. Later, add the mushrooms and stir.
• Add salt, pepper and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the stock and cook till the sauce thickens a bit.
• Take off the heat, add parsley and mix and your dish is ready to be served.
• To serve, take a serving dish. Ladle the hot creamy Polenta and serve the mushrooms over the Polenta, garnished with Parmesan cheese.
• Serve Creamy Polenta With Mushrooms with Fresh Tomato Basil Pasta with Spinach for a perfect weekend dinner.

SAUSAGE AND PEPPERS OVER CREAMY PARMESAN POLENTA

Steps:

• Combine chicken stock, half-and-half, and 1 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large saucepan; cover and bring to a boil. Whisk in polenta. Reduce heat to low; cook, whisking often, until polenta is soft, about 15 minutes.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add sausage links; cook, turning often, until browned on all sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
• Stir remaining 1 teaspoon salt, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, red onion, and oregano into the skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until onion is translucent, about 6 minutes. Add garlic; cook and stir for 1 minute. Reduce heat to low; pour in white wine. Stir in marinara sauce.
• Slice sausages and return to the skillet. Cook, covered, until no longer pink in the center, about 3 minutes.
• Stir 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and butter into polenta until melted. Season with black pepper. Divide polenta among 4 serving plates. Top with sausage and pepper mixture. Garnish with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and basil.

POLENTA WITH ITALIAN PEPPERS AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Chop whole onion.
• Heat nonstick pan until it is very hot, reduce heat to medium-high, spray with pan spray and saute onion until it begins to brown and soften.
• Wash, trim and seed peppers, and using slicing blade of food processor, slice peppers. Add peppers to onions.
• Wash, trim and slice mushrooms in processor. After peppers begin to soften, add mushrooms.
• Wash and chop fresh thyme, and add to onion and pepper mixture.
• Bring chicken stock to boil in covered pot.
• Reduce heat, and carefully stir in polenta; cook, stirring often until mixture thickens. Season with salt.
• Grate cheese.
• When polenta is cooked, spoon onto plates; top with pepper and onion mixture, and sprinkle with cheese.

POLENTA CAKES WITH MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Over a medium-high heat in a large saucepan that allows for stirring, heat milk, cornmeal and 2 cups water. Give it an initial stir to blend ingredients, then let cook until it thickens up a bit, about 5 minutes. At this point, stir continuously so that contents thicken up without sticking to saucepan, about 10 minutes. Add the mascarpone and Parmesan. Cook, stirring, until polenta is thick enough to pour out, another 5 minutes. Pour into individual muffin pans or one big pan. Let cool at room temperature for approximately 10 minutes. Refrigerate the polenta for later use.
• When you're ready to serve the polenta: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Top the polenta cake with the Sauteed Mushrooms and shredded mozzarella, if using, and bake 5 to 8 minutes. Enjoy!
• Over a medium-high heat, heat oil in a medium frying pan. Add garlic and let brown, approximately 1 minute. Throw in mushrooms and allow to brown and cook down, stirring, approximately 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Lower heat to low and let simmer for an additional 5 minutes.