Porcini Crusted Pork With Polenta Recipes

CHICKEN WITH PORCINI GRAVY AND POLENTA

Steps:

• Place the dried mushrooms in pot with 2 cups of the stock. Simmer to soften the mushrooms and flavor the stock. When rehydrated, remove the mushrooms from the stock and chop. Reserve the stock, except for the very bottom, which may contain grit from the mushrooms.
• Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper, and then dredge in flour. Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat and add the chicken to brown on both sides. Remove to a plate and add a bit more oil if necessary. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter to the pan and melt. When the butter foams, add the garlic, onions, sage, thyme and some salt and pepper, and cook to soften, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons flour, then deglaze the pan with the wine. Add the chopped mushrooms and whisk in the flavored stock. Cook to thicken a bit and add the chicken back to the sauce.
• Cool and store for a make-ahead meal. Reheat over medium heat.
• To serve, heat the remaining 1 cup stock, the milk and 1 cup water to a low boil. Whisk in the polenta, and then whisk to thicken, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, some salt and pepper and the grated cheese.
• Serve the polenta in shallow bowls topped with the chicken, gravy and a sprinkle of parsley.

PORCINI-CRUSTED FILET MIGNON WITH FRESH HERB BUTTER

Steps:

• Mix first 4 ingredients in small bowl for herb butter. Season butter to taste with salt and pepper. Process dried porcini mushrooms in spice grinder to fine powder. Transfer powder to plate. Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper. Press steaks into porcini powder to coat both sides well.
• Melt 2 tablespoons herb butter in heavy large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add steaks to skillet and cook to desired doneness, about 6 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer steaks to plates. Spoon rounded tablespoon of herb butter atop each steak and serve.

ROASTED PORK TENDERLOIN

Steps:

• Trim the tenderloin, pat dry and place on a large plate.
• Rub the pork tenderloins with the olive oil then season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl mix together the thyme, mustard and brown sugar and rub the mixture evenly over the tenderloins. Let this sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Place an oven-safe skillet (like cast iron) over medium-high heat. When the skillet gets hot, add the olive oil and brown the tenderloins well on all sides. When they are nicely browned, add the warm stock and gently scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze.
• Transfer the skillet to the middle rack of the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Insert a meat thermometer in the thickest portion of the tenderloin, and when it registers 155°F, it is ready. Remove the meat from the oven, cover loosely with foil, and let stand for 10 minutes (it will continue cooking while resting). When you are ready to serve, slice it on an angle and spoon some of its juices over it.
• Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• Bring 4½ cups water to a simmer in a large ovenproof saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the butter and the salt and whisk until the butter is melted. Gradually stir in the polenta--do not add it all at once or you will end up with clumps. Whisk the mixture constantly until the polenta comes to a boil.
• Cover the pot with a lid, and transfer it to the lower rack in the oven. Bake until the polenta is tender, about 25-30 minutes. Remove the polenta from oven.
• Meanwhile, carefully uncover the saucepan and whisk the polenta vigorously, scraping bottom of pan to keep any from burning. At that point the polenta should be smooth. Slowly add the Parmesan cheese, whisking constantly until the cheese is melted and the polenta is smooth and thick. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Cover until ready to serve. If necessary, reheat over low heat when ready to serve.
• Divide the polenta among warmed bowls and top with more Parmesan. Serve at once.

PARMESAN-CRUSTED POLENTA

Steps:

• Add 8 cups water, the oil and salt to a large saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
• Slowly stream in the polenta while whisking constantly. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the polenta is thickened and smooth, about 3 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Drizzle with olive oil and evenly coat the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle 1 cup of the Parmesan evenly over the bottom of the pan and allow to toast until golden brown and nutty, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Pour the polenta over the Parmesan crust and smooth the surface. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan. Set at room temperature until firm, 20 to 30 minutes. (At this point, the polenta can be refrigerated up to overnight.)
• When ready to serve, place the pan back over medium heat to warm the cheese. Place a large plate or serving platter over the surface and invert the polenta onto the plate. Serve topped with your favorite sauce.

PORCINI-CRUSTED PORK WITH POLENTA

Steps:

• Process mushrooms in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a shallow bowl; stir in salt and pepper. Press 1 side of each pork chop into mushroom mixture., In a large ovenproof skillet coated with cooking spray, heat oil over medium-high heat. Place chops, mushroom side down, in skillet; cook for 2 minutes. Turn over; cook 2 minutes longer. Bake, uncovered, at 375° until at thermometer inserted in pork reads 145°, 20-25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving., Prepare polenta according to package directions for soft polenta. Stir in cheese and rosemary. Serve with pork chops.

GORGONZOLA POLENTA WITH FRESH PORCINI

Steps:

• In a skillet heat butter over moderate heat until foam subsides and brown mushrooms with salt to taste, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add water and simmer, covered, 5 minutes, or until mushrooms are tender. Remove lid and simmer mixture 3 minutes, or until liquid reduces slightly. Stir in parsley and lemon juice and keep warm.
• Stir 1/2 cup Gorgonzola into warm polenta until smooth. Divide polenta among 4 plates and spoon mushroom mixture on top. Tear remaining Gorgonzola into small pieces and sprinkle over each serving.
• Garnish polenta with parsley.
• In a heavy saucepan bring water and salt to a boil and gradually whisk in cornmeal in a thin stream. Cook polenta over moderately low heat (it should be barely boiling), stirring constantly, until very thick and pulls away from side of pan, about 40 minutes for cornmeal and about 15 minutes for instant polenta. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm. Stir polenta just before using. Polenta will keep warm, covered, about 20 minutes. Makes about 3 cups.
• Note: In the traditional method of cooking polenta, forty minutes of constant stirring is required to achieve a lumpless texture and fragrant flavor. However, Italian-food expert Marcella Hazan has developed a method that involves very little stirring during this time. We believe it produces a very good polenta, one nearly as flavorful and smooth as the traditional procedure. To make satisfactory polenta in a real hurry, an imported instant polenta (precooked cornmeal) is available. This cooks in a mere fifteen minutes.

PORK STEW WITH POLENTA

Steps:

• Chop whole onion.
• Heat large nonstick pan until it is very hot; reduce heat to medium-high, and add oil. Saute onion in the oil until it begins to soften.
• Meanwhile, mince garlic, and add to onion as it cooks.
• Slice carrots in food processor, and add to onion as it cooks. Wash, dry and slice mushrooms in food processor, and add to vegetables.
• Wash, dry and cut tenderloin into bite-size chunks. When vegetables have softened, push to the side, and brown meat quickly all over.
• Strip rosemary branches of leaves to make 1 tablespoon; bring wine, stock and rosemary to boil in covered pot for polenta.
• Mix the browned meat in with the vegetables, and continue cooking over low heat.
• Slowly stir polenta into boiling stock to prevent lumping; reduce heat to medium-high, and continue stirring polenta until it thickens.
• Grate cheese, if using, and stir into polenta.
• Season pork mixture with salt and pepper, and serve over polenta.

BRAISED BROCCOLI AND PORCINI WITH POLENTA

Steps:

• Soak porcini in 2 cups boiling water for at least 10 minutes.
• At the same time, heat olive oil in a medium Dutch oven over medium heat. Add shallot and slowly saute until soft and juices have been released, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Remove porcini from the water and use a damp paper towel to remove any grit. Reserve soaking water.
• Add porcini to the Dutch oven with miso paste and yeast extract. Stir well and reduce heat to a simmer.
• Add broccoli; put floret heads facing down and stem pieces nestled in so they are touching the bottom of the pot. Layer radicchio slices evenly on top. Pour in wine without disturbing the vegetables. Cover and simmer, occasionally shaking the pan gently, for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring 2 cups water, vegetable broth, and salt to a boil. Sprinkle fistfuls of polenta into the boiling liquid while stirring constantly so clumps don't form. Continue to stir in polenta until completely added. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring often, until polenta is thick and cooked through, about 10 minutes.
• Strain the reserved soaking water, twice if necessary, to remove any sediment.
• Pour 1/2 of the soaking water into the Dutch oven with the broccoli. Gently shake the pot and use a wooden spoon to carefully loosen the florets without breaking them apart. Gently fold vegetables over until coated with cooking sauce. Continue to simmer, uncovered, occasionally shaking the pot. Cook until broccoli is tender but still firm to the touch and radicchio is completely wilted. Season with salt and pepper.
• Pour polenta onto a lightly oiled polenta board and spread it evenly over the board. Use a slotted spoon to gently spoon vegetables over the polenta.
• Pour remaining soaking water into the Dutch oven and bring to a boil. Make a slurry with the remaining water and cornstarch; pour into the Dutch oven while whisking constantly. Cook until sauce has thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour sauce over the broccoli and polenta or serve on the side.

PORCINI-CRUSTED FILET MIGNON WITH FRESH HERB BUTTER

Steps:

• Mix first 4 ingredients in small bowl for herb butter.
• Season butter to taste with salt and pepper.
• Process dried porcini mushrooms in spice grinder to fine powder.
• Transfer powder to plate.
• Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper.
• Press steaks into porcini powder to coat both sides well.
• Melt 2 tablespoons herb butter in heavy large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
• Add steaks to skillet and cook to desired doneness, about 6 minutes per side for medium-rare.
• Transfer steaks to plates.
• Spoon rounded tablespoon of herb butter atop each steak and serve.

ROASTED PORK CHOPS WITH POLENTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a large, oven safe skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium high heat; season pork chops with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
• Cook until browned, about 3 to 4 minutes per side; remove from skillet and set aside.
• Add the remaining tablespoon oil to the skillet, add tomatoes, garlic; season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes; add wine and simmer until the tomatoes begin to soften, about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Return pork chops to skillet and nestle into the tomatoes; cook in the oven until the chops are cooked through, about 6 to 7 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring 3 cups water to a boil in a saucepan.
• Whisk in polenta and cook, while whisking, until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Whisk in the cheese, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.