Polenta Cakes With Mushrooms Recipes

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.

Steps:

• Over a medium-high heat in a large saucepan that allows for stirring, heat milk, cornmeal and 2 cups water. Give it an initial stir to blend ingredients, then let cook until it thickens up a bit, about 5 minutes. At this point, stir continuously so that contents thicken up without sticking to saucepan, about 10 minutes. Add the mascarpone and Parmesan. Cook, stirring, until polenta is thick enough to pour out, another 5 minutes. Pour into individual muffin pans or one big pan. Let cool at room temperature for approximately 10 minutes. Refrigerate the polenta for later use.
• When you're ready to serve the polenta: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Top the polenta cake with the Sauteed Mushrooms and shredded mozzarella, if using, and bake 5 to 8 minutes. Enjoy!
• Over a medium-high heat, heat oil in a medium frying pan. Add garlic and let brown, approximately 1 minute. Throw in mushrooms and allow to brown and cook down, stirring, approximately 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Lower heat to low and let simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

Steps:

• Make polenta:
• Preheat broiler and butter an 8-inch square baking pan.
• On a rack of a broiler pan broil corn about 4 inches from heat, turning it occasionally, until lightly browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Cool corn and cut kernels from cobs.
• In a large heavy saucepan stir together milk and cornmeal and add corn kernels and butter. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer, stirring constantly to keep mixture from sticking and burning and adding water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if mixture becomes too thick 20 minutes. Stir in cheese until incorporated and season with salt. Pour polenta into baking pan spreading evenly, and cool. Chill polenta until cold, 2 to 3 hours. Polenta may be made 2 days ahead and chilled covered.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Make mushrooms:
• If using fresh or dried shiitake discard stems. Slice mushrooms. In a 10-inch skillet heat butter over moderately high heat until foam subsides and sauté mushrooms and shallots with salt to taste until mushrooms begin to brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Add broth and boil until reduced by about half. Remove skillet from heat and add thyme, pepper, and salt to taste. Keep mushrooms warm.
• Unmold polenta onto a cutting board and cut into 16 triangles or 2-inch squares.
• On a lightly oiled baking sheet bake polenta pieces until heated through, 10 to 15 minutes, and broil about 4 inches from heat until golden, about 2 minutes.
• Arrange 2 polenta pieces on each of 8 plates. Spoon mushrooms over polenta and garnish with nuts.