Buttery Polenta with Grana Padano, Mushrooms

By CheeseDiva

This recipe calls for a fine stone-ground polenta that has been slowly simmered in stock for at least 45 minutes. It is the slow absorption that gives the polenta its irresistible buttery texture. Using Grana Padano Riserva 24 months enhances its richness. Serve it topped with stewed wild mushrooms for comfort on a cold rainy day.

Ingredients

• For the polenta:
• 2 1/2 Cups chicken stock (Use milk?)
• 1/2 Cup fine stone-ground polenta
• 1 1/2 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp Grana Padano Riserva 24 months
• For the mushrooms:
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Cups assorted wild mushrooms
• 1 Tbsp red onion or 1 shallot, thickly sliced
• 3 Tbsps veal gravy or left-over roast gravy(try Madeira instead?)
• 1 Tbsp each parsley and sage, roughly chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Details

Adapted from culturecheesemag.com

Preparation

Step 1

Mix the stock and polenta in a saucepan and slowly bring to a simmer, whisking occasionally. Simmer very gently for at least 45 minutes, whisking from time to time then more frequently towards the end of cooking. Adjust seasoning according of the saltiness of your stock. When ready, the polenta should be very liquid, soft and silky.
Using a soft brush, wipe the dirt from the mushrooms, trim the ends and roughly chop the larger ones.
When the polenta is almost ready, pan-fry the mushrooms in batches, according to their individual cooking time. Set aside on a plate while you cook the next batch. When all the mushrooms have been cooked, pan-fry the onion slices for a couple of minutes. Add the mushrooms back into the pan, along with the gravy and herbs. Season well and cook for about a minute, just enough to reheat the mushrooms and coat them with the sauce.
Spoon some polenta on a serving plate and top with the mushrooms and juices.