Gorgonzola Polenta With Fresh Porcini Recipes

CREAMY POLENTA WITH MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• For the polenta, bring 4 1/2 cups water and the milk to a high simmer in a medium-size heavy saucepan set over medium-high heat. Add salt. Pour the cornmeal slowly into the liquid, stirring with a wire whisk to prevent clumping. Continue stirring as the mixture thickens, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Turn heat to low. Cook for approximately 40 to 45 minutes, stirring every 5 to 10 minutes. If the polenta becomes quite thick, thin it with 1/2 cup water, stir well and continue cooking. Add up to 1 cup more water as necessary, to keep the polenta soft enough to stir.
• Add the butter to pot, and stir well. Add the Parmesan, if using. Taste for seasoning. Set the covered saucepan in a pot of barely simmering water, and keep warm for up to an hour or so.
• Meanwhile, put the dried mushrooms in a small bowl, and cover with about 1/2 cup boiling water. Allow to steep for 20 minutes. Remove the mushrooms, and pat dry, then chop roughly. Reserve the mushroom stock.
• Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a sauté pan set over high heat until it has melted. Add the garlic and cook until it starts to sizzle, about 30 seconds. Do not let the garlic brown.
• Add the fresh and reconstituted mushrooms and thyme to the pan, and sauté 3 to 4 minutes, turning until browned. Add about 1/4 cup of the mushroom stock to deglaze the surface, using a wooden spoon to scrape at the browned bits. Allow the stock to reduce by half, then turn the heat to medium-low and add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter, whisking to combine, followed by the soy sauce, cream and olive oil. Allow mixture to cook until it thickens a little, then remove from heat. Taste for seasoning, adding black pepper, if desired.
• Put the polenta in a warmed bowl, then top with mushrooms and the sauce. Serve immediately.

POLENTA WITH MUSHROOMS AND GORGONZOLA

Steps:

• Bring 4 cups water to a boil; whisk in 3/4 cup instant polenta. Cook over medium heat, whisking, until creamy, 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cook 8 ounces sliced mixed mushrooms in olive oil with 1 minced garlic clove and 1 teaspoon minced rosemary until tender, 6 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Serve over the polenta with crumbled gorgonzola and torn parsley.

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.

GORGONZOLA POLENTA

Steps:

• Bring 4 cups salted water to a boil. Slowly add 1 cup instant polenta, whisking. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring, until thick and creamy, 10 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon butter, 1/4 cup crumbled gorgonzola, 1 tablespoon chopped oregano and a dash of nutmeg. Top with more cheese and some pepper.

CREAMY GORGONZOLA POLENTA

Steps:

• Boil stock. In a medium-sized saucepan, add the salt to the stock and bring to a boil.
• Add polenta. Gradually whisk in the polenta. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the mixture thickens and the cornmeal is tender, stirring often, about 20 minutes.
• Add remaining ingredients. Turn off the heat and add the half and half, cheese, and butter. Stir to blend and serve immediately!

POLENTA WITH GORGONZOLA CHEESE

Steps:

• Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a heavy large saucepan. Add 1 3/4 teaspoons of salt. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce the heat and simmer until the mixture thickens and the cornmeal is tender, stirring often, about 20 minutes. After 10 minutes, you can switch to a wooden spoon for easier stirring.
• Turn off the heat. Add the butter, cream and Gorgonzola and stir until the cheese melts. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the polenta to a bowl and serve.
• Note: If you're making the polenta ahead of time, put it on a double boiler and cover it with plastic wrap to keep it warm.

CREAMY POLENTA WITH GORGONZOLA AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Bring first 3 ingredients to boil in large saucepan. Gradually whisk in polenta. Reduce heat and simmer until mixture thickens, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add spinach and stir until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add cream and simmer until almost absorbed and polenta thickens, about 5 minutes. Add cheese and parsley; stir until cheese melts. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl and serve.
• Sold at Italian markets, natural foods stores, and some supermarkets.

SKILLET POLENTA WITH TOMATOES AND GORGONZOLA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Brush 12-inch-diameter ovenproof skillet with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
• Combine 4 cups water, yellow cornmeal, and salt in heavy large saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until polenta is very thick and pulls away from sides of pan, whisking constantly, about 3 minutes. Whisk in remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/4 cup basil. Transfer polenta to prepared skillet; flatten polenta to even thickness.
• Sprinkle polenta with tomatoes and garlic. Sprinkle evenly with Gorgonzola, mozzarella, and remaining 1/4 cup basil. Bake until cheese is melted and bubbling, about 16 minutes. Cut polenta into wedges and serve from skillet.

POLENTA WITH GORGONZOLA

Steps:

• Bring milk and whipping cream to boil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Gradually whisk polenta into milk mixture in slow steady stream. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook polenta until creamy and tender, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Preheat broiler. Transfer cooked polenta to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Sprinkle Gorgonzola cheese over polenta. Broil until cheese melts. Sprinkle with chopped toasted walnuts and serve immediately.
• *Polenta (coarse yellow cornmeal) is available at Italian markets, natural foods stores and some supermarkets. If unavailable, substitute 1 cup regular yellow cornmeal, and cook mixture for about 12 minutes rather than 20 minutes.

POLENTA WITH GORGONZOLA

Steps:

• Bring stock and buttermilk to boil in covered pot.
• Slowly stir in the polenta and nutmeg, and continue cooking over medium heat, stirring often, until polenta has thickened.
• Stir in the Gorgonzola thoroughly, and season with salt and pepper.

GORGONZOLA POLENTA

Steps:

• Bring 5 cups chicken broth to boil in heavy 4-quart saucepan. Gradually add polenta, whisking constantly. Return mixture to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until polenta is tender, stirring frequently and adding more chicken broth by 1/4 cupfuls if polenta is too thick, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Add Gorgonzola and cream; stir until cheese is melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• *Sold at some supermarkets and at natural foods stores and Italian markets. If unavailable, substitute an equal amount of regular yellow cornmeal and cook about half as long.