Polenta Gratin With Mushroom Bolognese Recipes

POLENTA GRATIN WITH MUSHROOM BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery; season with salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
• Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add mushrooms and thyme leaves; cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are almost tender, about 3 minutes. Add tomato and cook, about 2 minutes more.
• Add stock to skillet, 2 tablespoons at a time, bringing liquid to a simmer before each addition. Simmer until thickened, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and set mushroom bolognese aside to cool.
• In a medium bowl, mix polenta with 2 tablespoons water to moisten. Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add a pinch of salt to boiling water and slowly stir in polenta. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and immediately reduce to a simmer. Cook polenta, stirring occasionally, until no longer grainy, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in olive oil and season with salt.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spoon half of the polenta into a medium baking dish and cover with reserved mushroom bolognese. Top with remaining polenta and sprinkle with Parmigiano Reggiano.
• Transfer baking dish to oven and bake until top is golden, about 40 minutes. Serve immediately.

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 GRATIN WITH MUSHROOM "BOLOGNESE"

Steps:

• Heat the peanut oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it moves easily across the pan. Add the onion, carrot, celery, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cook for 1 minute, then add the mushrooms and thyme leaves. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are almost tender, about 3 minutes. Add the tomato, cook for about 2 minutes more, then add the stock 2 tablespoons at a time, bringing to a simmer before each addition. Simmer the bolognese until it is concentrated but not yet dry, about 30 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Moisten the polenta with 2 tablespoons of water, mixing well with your hands. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Add a pinch of salt and gradually stir in the polenta. Stirring constantly, bring the polenta to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cook the polenta, stirring occasionally, until it is no longer grainy, about 30 minutes. Stir the olive oil into the polenta, season with salt, and remove it from the heat.
• TO ASSEMBLE: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spoon 1/2 the polenta into a medium baking dish and cover with 1/2 of the sauce. Spoon in the remaining polenta, spread it evenly, then sprinkle with the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Transfer the remaining sauce to a small saucepan and reserve.
• Bake the gratin until the top is golden, about 40 minutes. Just before serving, warm the reserved sauce over low heat. Divide the gratin and sauce among 4 plates and serve.

POLENTA GRATIN WITH TOMATO, FONTINA, AND ROSEMARY

Steps:

• Make the polenta. During the last few minutes of cooking, stir in half the Fontina and the butter, then spread it, about 3/8 inch thick, on a clean counter or sheet pan to harden. Slice into rectangles or rounds--the exact size doesn't matter. This can be done hours in advance.
• Heat the tomato sauce with half of the rosemary. Taste and season with salt, if needed, and a little pepper.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spread 3/4 cup of the tomato sauce in a 3-quart gratin dish, then overlap the pieces of polenta with the remaining Fontina. Spoon the remaining sauce carefully in bands over the polenta, leaving the edges exposed. Crumble the Gorgonzola over the top and sprinkle with the rest of the rosemary and the parsley.
• Bake, uncovered, for about 30 minutes or until the gratin is hot and bubbly. Garnish with the parsley, season with a little pepper, and serve.

MUSHROOM-POLENTA LASAGNA

Steps:

• Make the sauce: Soak the dried porcini in 3 cups hot water, 30 minutes. Drain, reserving 2 cups of the soaking liquid. Roughly chop the porcini.
• Heat 1 tablespoon each butter and olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add half of the button and shiitake mushrooms and cook, undisturbed, until slightly browned on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring, until soft, 2 to 3 more minutes; transfer to a bowl. Repeat with another 1 tablespoon each butter and olive oil and the remaining button and shiitake mushrooms. Transfer to the bowl and add 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon each butter and olive oil to the skillet. Add the onion and porcini and cook, stirring, until the onion is soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until darkened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the reserved 2 cups porcini liquid, the crushed tomatoes, button and shiitake mushrooms and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley; season with salt.
• Prepare the lasagna: Bring 7 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan; transfer to a large heatproof bowl. Meanwhile, bring 3 cups water to a boil in a separate large saucepan. Gradually whisk the polenta and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt into the bowl of hot water. Cover the bowl tightly with foil and set over the saucepan of boiling water. Reduce the heat so the water is simmering; cook the polenta until the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, uncover and vigorously whisk in the parmesan, eggs and nutmeg.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly brush a 3-quart baking dish with olive oil. Spread one-third of the polenta in the dish and top with half of the mushroom sauce. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella. Repeat the layers (polenta, sauce, mozzarella), then top with the remaining polenta. (If the polenta gets too thick, whisk in a little hot water.)
• Loosely cover the dish with foil and bake until bubbly, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Turn on the broiler. Uncover the lasagna and top with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella; broil until melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

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.

BAKED MUSHROOMS AND POLENTA GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter an 8x12-inch baking dish.
• Bring water and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add cornmeal in a slow stream, whisking. Whisk in 1 tablespoon oil and ¼ teaspoon sage. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until very thick, about 20 minutes. Stir in 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese.
• Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 of the mushrooms, ¼ teaspoon of each of the salt and sage, and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are golden, about 5 minutes. Remove. Repeat with remaining mushrooms, 1 tablespoon each butter and oil, ¼ teaspoon salt and sage and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper.
• Pour 1/2 of the polenta into the prepared baking dish and spread in an even layer. Top with 1/2 of the mushrooms, followed by 1/2 of the Fontina cheese and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Repeat with remaining polenta, mushrooms, Fontina and Parmesan cheeses.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is bubbling, about 15 minutes.