Mushroom Polenta Lasagna Recipes

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.

CHEESY POLENTA LASAGNE WITH MUSHROOMS AND SEITAN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in upper third. Lightly butter a 2-to 2 1/2-quart shallow baking dish.
• Make cheese sauce:
• Melt butter in a 2-to 3-quart heavy saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth, then cook roux, whisking frequently, until pale golden, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat milk in a separate small saucepan until just about to boil. Add milk to roux in 2 batches, whisking constantly until very smooth. Bring to a boil, whisking, then cook, whisking, 30 seconds. Remove from heat and whisk in Fontina, half of Gruyère, nutmeg, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Cover and set aside, whisking occasionally.
• Make mushroom-seitan filling:
• Cook garlic in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat, stirring, until beginning to turn pale golden. Stir in mushrooms, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are softened, about 3 minutes. Add seitan and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms and seitan are slightly golden, about 4 minutes. Add water and cook briefly, scraping up any brown bits.
• Assemble and bake lasagne:
• Spread 1/2 cup cheese sauce in bottom of baking dish.
• Slice 1 log of polenta into 1/4-inch-thick rounds and arrange enough rounds to cover bottom of dish, overlapping slightly. Spoon half of filling evenly over polenta, then spread with half of remaining cheese sauce (about 1 cup). Slice enough rounds from second log to form a second layer. Cover with remaining filling, then cheese sauce. Sprinkle with remaining Gruyère and bake until top is just bubbling and slightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

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 LASAGNA WITH SPINACH AND HERBY RICOTTA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees and butter an 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet pan. Grease a rubber spatula with butter.
• Prepare the polenta: In a large pot, bring 6 cups water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium, then slowly pour in polenta, whisking constantly. Cook, whisking often, until polenta thickens, 8 to 12 minutes. Whisk in 4 tablespoons butter until melted. Whisk in spinach until wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in 1 cup grated Parmesan.
• Scrape polenta onto the prepared baking sheet. Using the greased rubber spatula, spread the mixture into a thin, even layer to cover the entire pan, all the way to corners. Sprinkle 1/2 cup grated Parmesan on top. Bake until polenta is firm and cheese has melted, 12 to 18 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack until completely cooled, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or place in refrigerator until cool to touch, about 40 to 50 minutes. (Polenta can be baked the day before and refrigerated until needed.)
• When ready to bake the lasagna, heat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
• Prepare the ricotta filling: In a small bowl, mix ricotta, parsley, basil, egg, black pepper, nutmeg and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix until well combined and set aside.
• Taste the marinara sauce. If it needs some zip, stir in any or all of the optional ingredients.
• Assemble the lasagna: Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut cooled polenta in half widthwise, creating 2 pieces roughly 9 by 13 inches each. Using a large spatula, gently place one half in prepared baking dish. (It is important for polenta to be completely cooled and firm; otherwise, the pieces may break when transferring to baking dish. If anything breaks, just reassemble it in the pan. It won't make much of a difference once it's covered in sauce and baked.)
• Spread about half the ricotta mixture in an even layer on top of polenta. Pour about half of marinara sauce on top of ricotta, sprinkle with about half of the shredded mozzarella. Repeat with remaining polenta, ricotta, marinara and mozzarella. Once assembled, sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan on top.
• Place baking dish on top of a rimmed sheet pan in case the lasagna bubbles over. Bake until cheese melts, about 30 minutes. If you like, you can broil lasagna for 2 minutes after baking until cheese starts to bubble and develop brown spots.
• Remove from oven and let lasagna stand for about 15 minutes to firm up before serving. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 3 months.

SAUSAGE AND MUSHROOM POLENTA LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Preheat a large skillet over med-high heat with 2 tablespoons olive oil and butter.
• When the butter has melted, add the sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon.
• While the sausage is starting to brown, cut the portobello mushroom in half and then thinly slice and add to the sausage.
• Chop and add to the pan as you go-the onion, garlic, and rosemary.
• Season with red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
• Once everything is in the pan, the sausage is browned, and the mushrooms and onions have wilted, add in the chicken stock and lemon juice.
• Continue to cook over high heat until the liquids have evaporated-2 to 3 minutes.
• While the sausage and mushrooms are cooking down in the liquid-combine the ricotta cheese, egg, lemon zest, Parmigiano, and bread crumbs in a bowl.
• Brush an 8-inch springform pan or an 8x8 inch baking dish with a little olive oil; place 7 disks of the polenta on the bottom of the dish.
• If they overlap a little, that is fine (it will vary depending on what kind of dish you are using).
• Divide the sausage and mushroom mixture into 3 even portions; do the same with the ricotta mixture.
• Using the back of a spoon, spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture on top of the polenta (don't make yourself crazy doing this; just mush it out over the polenta).
• Top the ricotta with 1/3 of the sausage mixture.
• Repeat layers 2 more times, starting with polenta and finishing with sausage mixture.
• Sprinkle the top with mozzarella.
• Cover the baking dish with foil; place in oven; bake for 15-18 minutes.
• To make sure it is cooked through, insert a knife into the center of the dish, wait a few seconds, then remove it.
• Touch the knife to your fingertips and if it is hot, the lasagna is done.
• Remove from the springform and serve.
• *Sweet and Savory Polenta "Lasagna"-add ½ cup golden raisins and ½ cup pine nuts at the same time you add the chicken broth and lemon juice to the sausage.
• *Sausage, Mushroom, and Olive Polenta-add 4 rounded tablespoons black olive or green olive tapenade to the ricotta cheese along with the egg, lemon zest, parmigiano, and bread crumbs.
• *Sausage, Mushroom, and Pesto Polenta-add 4 tablespoons quality pesto to the ricotta along with the egg, lemon zest, parmigiano, and bread crumbs.
• *Super Mushroom Polenta-omit sweet Italian sausage, swap dry white wine for the chicken broth, add 2 additional portobello mushrooms and 1 jarred roasted red pepper, drained and chopped; add the 2 extra mushrooms along with the original mushroom quantity; add the roasted red pepper to the ricotta mixture.