Tomato Polenta With Mushrooms And Olives Recipes

POLENTA WITH MUSHROOMS, FAVAS AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Make the polenta as directed, and while it is baking, cook the mushrooms and tomatoes.
• Prepare the fava beans. Shell them while you bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Drop the beans into the water, and boil small favas for one minute, large favas for two, then transfer at once to a bowl of ice-cold water. Drain. Remove the skins, using your thumbnail to open up the skin at the spot where the bean is attached to the pod, then gently squeezing out the bean.
• Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat, add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the mushrooms, thyme and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms are moist and beginning to soften, about five minutes. Add the wine, turn up the heat and cook, stirring, until the liquid in the pan has reduced and glazed the mushrooms. Stir in the tomatoes, add salt and pepper to taste, and bring to a simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down (there should still be some liquid in the pan) and the mixture is fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add the skinned fava beans and continue to simmer for five to 10 minutes. Taste, adjust seasonings, and remove from the heat.
• When the polenta is ready, remove from the heat, spoon onto plates and make a depression in the middle. Top with the mushrooms, favas and tomatoes, and sprinkle with basil and Parmesan. Serve at once.

BAKED POLENTA WITH WILD MUSHROOM AND TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Prepare polenta and chill.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Put tomatoes in saucepan and bring to boil. Let cook until reduced to about 2 cups.
• Heat half of oil in small skillet and add garlic. Cook briefly and add tomatoes, salt and pepper. Add hot pepper flakes.
• Thinly slice mushrooms. Heat remaining oil in skillet and add mushrooms, salt and pepper. Cook briefly, stirring, until mushrooms give up liquid. Cook until liquid evaporates. Add mushrooms to tomato sauce and simmer 3 minutes.
• Cut polenta into 1/2-inch slices. Arrange about 1/3 of slices on bottom of baking dish. Sprinkle with 1/2 mushroom and tomato sauce. Sprinkle with 1/3 of butter and 1/3 of cheese. Add second layer of polenta. Add another layer of tomato and mushroom sauce, another 1/3 of butter and another 1/3 of cheese.
• Add final layer of polenta and sprinkle with remaining butter and cheese.
• Place in oven and bake 20 minutes. Preheat broiler to high. Run dish under broiler until golden brown on top.

POLENTA WITH WILD MUSHROOMS AND MARINARA SAUCE

Steps:

• To make the polenta, place it and 3 1/2 cups water in a heavy 2 1/2- or 3-quart saucepan with a lid, and stir to combine. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly until the fine polenta particles remain suspended and evenly distributed in the water without continuous stirring. This should take 5 to 8 minutes.
• Reduce heat to low, cover partly and cook, stirring often, until polenta is soft and holds its shape on a spoon, about 35 minutes. Whisk in salt after 20 minutes. When polenta is done, whisk in pepper, butter and Parmesan.
• While polenta is cooking, pan-cook mushrooms. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over high heat in a wide, heavy skillet or a wok. Add mushrooms and cook, tossing and stirring often, until they sear and begin to sweat, about 3 minutes.
• Reduce heat under mushrooms to medium. Add another tablespoon oil and the shallots and cook, stirring, until just tender, 3 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, and rosemary or sage. Season with salt and pepper and continue to cook over medium heat until mushrooms are soft, about 5 more minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring, until it is no longer visible in the pan. Add parsley, taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat.
• As soon as polenta is soft, spoon into wide bowls or onto plates. Make a depression in the middle with the back of a spoon and add a spoonful of hot tomato sauce. Top with a spoonful of mushrooms, sprinkle with Parmesan if desired, and serve.

POLENTA WITH TOMATO AND WILD MUSHROOM SAUCE

Steps:

• Cover mushrooms with hot water and set aside.
• Crush the plum tomatoes between the fingers and place in pot, without the juice, along with the thyme, oregano and pepper. Cook over medium high heat for 10 minutes, until most of liquid has been absorbed.
• Drain mushrooms and squeeze out liquid; chop coarsely and add to tomatoes. Strain leftover liquid. Add some mushroom liquid if tomato mixture has become too dry.
• Meanwhile, bring chicken stock to boil (follow directions on instant polenta package for amount of liquid needed).
• When stock has boiled, slowly add polenta, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick and liquid has been absorbed.
• Serve polenta topped with the tomato-mushroom sauce and grated cheese.

TOMATO POLENTA WITH MUSHROOMS AND OLIVES

Steps:

• Puree tomatoes with their juice; strain. Place liquid in a large saucepan with the water, bring to a boil, and add salt. Slowly sprinkle in polenta, whisking constantly.
• When all the polenta has been added, turn heat down to low and cook, stirring very frequently, for 30 minutes. Stir in pepper and Parmesan.
• Pour into an ungreased 9-by-13-inch pan and smooth with a spatula. Cover with plastic wrap and let cool. Refrigerate until cold and firm, at least 2 hours.
• Turn polenta out onto a board. Cut into 2-inch squares. Cut each square in half to form 2 triangles. Set aside.
• Cut mushroom into 1/2-inch dice. Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil and garlic,; cook until lightly browned. Add mushrooms. Keep warm, or reheat when ready to use.
• Puree olives with remaining tablespoon of oil and stir into mushrooms. Keep warm, or reheat when ready to use.
• Heat a large saute pan and add a scant teaspoon each of oil and butter. Saute polenta triangles for about 2 minutes on each side and briefly on the edges. Add more oil and butter for each batch. Serve hot with a heaping teaspoon of the mushroom mixture on each triangle.