MUSHROOMS & POLENTA
What a cosy dish this is, and one which I came up with off the back of some random things in the cupboard and a few ugly looking mushrooms in the vegetable drawer (Jax has a bit of a mushroom obsession and sometimes we cant get through them as quick as they last in the fridge!) so this dish was born off the back of some dried mushrooms in the cupboard, polenta and a bit of chicken stock, pretty much all you need. Oh, and maybe a glass of red wine or two?
Prep 00:10
Cook 00:15
Serves 2
Easy
Ingredients
300g fancy mushrooms (shitake, enoki, oyster, shimeji)
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, sliced
3 sprigs thyme, leaves pickled
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
20g unsalted butter
Mushroom Stock
30g dried wild mushrooms
500ml good-quality chicken stock
Buttery Polenta
100g polenta
500ml water (or chicken stock)
40g unsalted butter
20g Parmesan, grated
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Method
Step 1. To make the Mushroom Stock, add the dried mushrooms to a medium saucepan and place over medium heat. Allow the mushrooms to toss in the dry pan for 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the chicken stock and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and allow to cook for 10 minutes.
Step 2. Meanwhile, start on the Mushroom Sauce. Add the gourmet mushrooms into a large frying pan and place over medium heat. Toss mushrooms in the dry pan for 1 minute, until fragrant.
Step 3. Add the olive oil, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper to the frying pan with the mushrooms. Toss to combine all together. Allow to cook, toss regularly, for 2 minutes.
Step 4. Drain stock - you should have about 1 cup of stock left after simmering, and add into the frying pan with the mushrooms. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes, until mushrooms soften. Add butter and stir through until melted and combined into the sauce.
Step 5. To make the Buttery Polenta, add the water to a medium saucepan and place over high heat. Bring to the boil, then add the polenta. Cook, stirring vigorously, until polenta is hydrated, about 1-2 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, butter and parmesan. Stir all together to combine. Add more water as you like, to make the polenta a little looser if you prefer - I do!
