Polenta Gratin with Spinach & Wild Mushrooms

By SMorrissey

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons Olive oil
• 5 cups Mixed wild mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tablespoons Shallot, minced
• 8 cups Spinach, chopped, preferably organic
• 0.5 teaspoon Thyme
• 0.25 teaspoon Nutmeg
• 0.25 teaspoon Salt
• 0.25 teaspoon Pepper
• 1 tablespoons Butter, unsalted
• 1 tablespoons Flour, all purpose, unenriched, unbleached
• 0.75 cups Chicken broth, preferably organic (you can use vegetable)
• 0.5 cups Cream
• 10 ounces Prepared Polenta, preferably organic
• 1 cups Gruyere cheese, shredded

Details

Servings 8
Adapted from onceamonthmom.com

Preparation

Step 1

1) In a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the mushrooms and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Add the shallot and cook over moderately low heat for 3 minutes. Add the spinach, thyme and nutmeg and cook over high heat until the spinach has wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Spread the spinach evenly in 8×8 foil pan. 2) In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour over moderately high heat. Add the stock and cream and whisk until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper and pour over the spinach. Arrange the polenta slices on top of the spinach in overlapping concentric circles, pressing to submerge the polenta slightly. Sprinkle the Gruyère on the polenta, cover with foil, bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Once bubbling, Uncover and broil until golden. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Freezing Directions:

Sprinkle the Gruyère on the polenta, cover with foil and freeze until ready to serve. To Serve: Preheat to 350, bake for 40 minutes. Once bubbling, Uncover and broil for  until golden. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

If I were making it, I’d try the Mozzarella Daiya, but add a bit of nutritional yeast or even ground nuts to the cheese to kick up the nutty flavor and simulate gruyere. Similar to what I do for smoky cheeses (say, like a gouda, I add liquid smoke). There isn’t a huge variety of “cheez” flavor, but Daiya is definitely the cheesiest cheez. So I usually work from there and adapt for the original cheese’s flavor.