Porcini Mushroom Polenta Recipes

POLENTA AI FUNGHI PORCINI

Steps:

• Bring the water and salt to a boil in a large heavy stockpot. Let it boil for 2 minutes, then remove the pot from heat and add polenta flour by the handful, beating constantly. Continue to add the flour slowly, controlling the flow to a thin stream through your fingers to avoid lumps. Return the pot to the stove and bring to low simmer. Continue cooking for about 40 minutes, stirring constantly. Polenta will be done when it cleanly pulls away from the sides of the pot. Stir in the butter, heavy cream and cheese. Once combined, carefully pour the polenta onto a large sheet pan (12 by 18-inch). Spread it out evenly and let it cool completely until firm to the touch, about 1 1/2 hours.
• In a large saute pan over high heat, add the butter, chopped garlic, porcini mushrooms, and salt and pepper, to taste. Cook without stirring until the water from the mushrooms has been released and has evaporated. Add the Marsala wine, and parsley and begin stirring with a wooden spoon. Once the ingredients are incorporated, add the cream, reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking until the cream is reduced by half and has a thick consistency. Remove from the heat and keep covered. Set aside.
• Heat the canola oil over high heat in a large deep pot or a deep-fryer. Meanwhile, slice the cooled polenta into desired size and shape. Once the oil has reached frying temperature, add the polenta, in batches, and deep-fry until golden brown.
• Arrange the polenta on serving plates and spoon the desired amount of sauce over the top. Garnish with the shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano and 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.

WILD MUSHROOM POLENTA WITH PORCINI SAUCE

Steps:

• Prep the porcini:
• In a small bowl, combine porcini mushrooms and 1 cup warm water. Let stand until mushrooms soften, about 30 minutes. Remove porcini mushrooms from the liquid, strain and reserve liquid. Finely chop the mushrooms and set aside.
• Roast the mushrooms:
• While the porcini are soaking, set racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat oven to 450°F. On two rimmed baking sheets, gently toss mushrooms with thyme and oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast mushrooms until edges are browned, about 10 minutes. Set aside until ready to use.
• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Sauté shallot until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, and sauté for 2 minutes more. Add white wine and bay leaf and increase heat; boil until most liquid evaporates, about 7 minutes. Add reserved chopped porcini mushrooms, vegetable stock, and reserved mushroom liquid. Boil until liquid is reduced to 1 cup, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove bay leaf.
• In a small bowl, stir butter and flour together until it forms a paste. Whisk the butter mixture into the mushroom sauce. Simmer until sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.
• Make the polenta:
• In a large saucepan, bring 6 cups water and the salt to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and whisk in the polenta, whisking constantly to make sure there are no lumps. Cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until thickened and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in the cheese,and butter. Season with salt and pepper. Serve polenta immediately topped with porcini sauce and roasted mushrooms.

POLENTA WITH PORCINI MUSHROOM SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine 6 cups water, oil and salt in heavy large saucepan. Bring to boil. Gradually whisk in cornmeal. Reduce heat to low; cook until polenta is very thick, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Stir in 1 1/4 cups Parmesan cheese and butter.
• Ladle polenta into shallow bowls. Top with Porcini Mushroom Sauce. Serve with additional cheese, if desired.

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.

POLENTA WITH PORCINI SAUCE

Steps:

• soak the dried mushrooms in 150ml boiling water for 10 minutes.
• heat 1 litre of water in a pan, bring to boil and add polenta, constantly stirring until thick and creamy (about 5 mins).
• remove rind from cheese, chop and add to polenta. Keep polenta warm.
• Heat oil and fry fresh mushrooms for 4 mins, add garlic and fry for another minute.
• chop porcini and add the mushrooms and liquor to the pan, add the tomatoes and herbs, seasoning if desired cook for 5 minutes.
• put polenta in bowl and pour sauce over top.

MUSHROOM POLENTA WITH PORCINI SAUCE

Steps:

• 1. Place the dried Porcini mushrooms in 1 cup warm water and let sit for 30 to 45 minutes. Drain the mushrooms through fine mesh strainer reserving the liquid. Chop up the mushrooms and set aside.
• 2. Preheat oven 450 degrees. Place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Place the mushrooms and thyme leaves on paper. Drizzle olive oil over the mushrooms and season with salt. Roast the mushrooms for 15 minutes. Set aside.
• 3. To make the sauce. Heat oil in large saucepan. Saute the shallot until softened. Add the garlic and saute another minute. Add the wine and let most evaporate. Add the Porcini mushrooms, beef broth, and reserved mushroom liquid. Boil for about 15 to 20 minutes until reduced to about 1 cup. Stir the butter and flour together to make a paste. Stir into the sauce mixture to thicken.
• 4. For the polenta. Add the water to a large pot. stir in the salt. Add the Instant Polenta and cook 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add the cheese and butter.
• 5. Serve the Polenta topped with Porcini Sauce and Roasted mushrooms