Mushroom Polenta Appetizers Recipes

POLENTA MUSHROOM APPETIZERS

Steps:

• In a large heavy saucepan, bring the broth, milk and salt to a boil. Reduce heat to a gentle boil; slowly whisk in cornmeal. Cook and stir with a wooden spoon for 15-20 minutes or until polenta is thickened and pulls away cleanly from the sides of the pan. Stir in cheese., Spread into a greased 11x7-in. baking dish. Cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Cut polenta into 16 pieces, then cut each diagonally in half to make 32 triangles; place on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until light golden brown., For mushrooms, saute mushrooms in oil and butter until tender. Add the garlic, thyme, salt and pepper; cook 1 minute longer. Add wine and lemon juice; cook and stir until liquid is almost absorbed., Top each triangle with 1-1/2 teaspoons mushrooms; sprinkle appetizers with cheese. Serve warm.,

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 BITES WITH WILD MUSHROOMS AND FONTINA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Brush both sides of polenta slices very lightly with oil and arrange on 2 rimmed baking sheets. Roast polenta until lightly golden brown and warmed through, about 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt butter with remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until tender and browned, about 12 minutes. Add shallots, vinegar, salt, black pepper, and red pepper and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in parsley.
• Divide mushroom mixture between baking sheets with polenta. Top with cheese. Continue to roast until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.
• Arrange polenta bites on a platter and serve.
• Do Ahead
• Mushroom mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Transfer to an airtight container and chill.

MUSHROOM POLENTA

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 8 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms, season with salt and brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon each butter and fresh thyme and 1 minced shallot; cook 30 seconds. Meanwhile, simmer 3 cups mushroom broth and a pinch of salt in a saucepan. Whisk in 3/4 cup quick-cooking polenta; stir until thickened, 5 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan; season with salt and pepper. Top with the mushrooms, chopped parsley, more Parmesan and pepper.

POLENTA SQUARES WITH MUSHROOM RAGU

Steps:

• Bring the water, 1 tablespoon butter, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a heavy medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in the polenta. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir constantly until the polenta thickens, about 5 minutes. Pour the polenta into a greased 9 by 9-inch baking pan, spreading so that it is 1/3-inch thick. Cover and let stand at room temperature until set, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and onion. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper and saute until the juices evaporate, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until the mushrooms are golden brown, about 2 minutes longer. Decrease the heat to medium-low. Add the Marsala. Cover and simmer until the Marsala has reduced by about half, about 5 minutes. Stir the flour and remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a small bowl to form a paste, then stir the paste into the mushroom mixture. Cover and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir the parsley into the ragu. Season the ragu, to taste, with more salt and pepper.
• Cut the polenta into 36 bite-size squares. Arrange the polenta squares on a platter. Spoon the warm ragu atop the polenta and serve immediately.

MUSHROOM POLENTA

Steps:

• Prepare the mushrooms: Gently wipe the mushroom caps clean with a dry paper towel. Trim the bottom of stems and cut the mushrooms into quarters if large and halves if small. The cut pieces should be about the same size.
• Cook the mushrooms: Heat a large skillet over high heat until it's hot. It may take about 1 minute. Carefully add the 1/4 cup water and mushrooms. Cook, stirring until all the water evaporates, about 12 minutes. The mushrooms will release more water, but they will become smooth and shiny. The timing depends on how much moisture the mushrooms have-they're ready when the skillet is dry. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and stir. Allow the mushrooms to sit undisturbed to brown for a minute or so, then stir again. Lower the heat if the mushrooms are darkening too quickly. Continue cooking the mushrooms until they are browned all over and crisp-tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of salt and black pepper. Transfer the mushrooms into a medium bowl.
• Make the sauce: Heat the same large skillet used for the mushrooms over medium heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, garlic, onion, oregano, thyme, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook stirring until the onions are tender and limp, about 10 minutes. Add a drizzle of oil if the vegetables look too dry. Lower the heat if the garlic is browning too quickly. Add the tomato paste and smoosh with the back of the wooden spoon into the pan to cook out some of the raw flavor, about 30 seconds. The paste might stick to your spoon but just keep swirling it around the pan. Stir in 1/2 cup vegetable stock. Return the mushrooms to the skillet and stir briefly to re-warm. Turn off the heat and stir in the vinegar and 1 tablespoon butter. Taste and season with more salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if you'd like. Set it aside while you cook the polenta.
• Make the polenta: In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring 4 cups of vegetable stock and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil. Slowly add the polenta while whisking. Turn the heat down to maintain a gentle simmer. Once all the polenta has been added, switch to a wooden spoon and cook, stirring until the polenta is thick and bubbly, about 3 minutes. It will pull away from the sides of the saucepan. Taste it. It should be creamy, not grainy.
• Season the polenta: Stir in the Parmesan, 2 tablespoons parsley, and the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Turn off the heat.
• Serve: Divide the polenta among shallow serving bowls. Spoon the mushrooms on top. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons parsley and more Parmesan.

SAUTEED MUSHROOMS WITH POLENTA

Steps:

• Spray a miniature loaf pan (5 3/4 by 3 1/4 by 2 inches) with nonstick vegetable spray. In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups salted water to a boil. Whisking constantly, add polenta in a slow steady stream. Reduce heat to medium, and continue to cook, whisking constantly for 3 minutes. Stir in grated Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and butter. Pour polenta into prepared pan. Transfer to refrigerator until completely cool, about 2 hours.
• In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over high heat. Add mushrooms, and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in parsley and thyme. Add Madeira, and cook, stirring to scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until liquid is almost evaporated, about 2 minutes. Taste, and adjust for seasoning.
• While mushrooms are cooking, remove polenta from refrigerator. Using a small spatula, loosen polenta and remove from pan. Turn polenta out onto cutting board and cut into 1/2-inch slices. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add polenta slices and cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. Add additional oil as needed to avoid sticking. Serve immediately, topped with sauteed mushrooms and garnished with Parmesan curls.