Best Pancetta Boursin Polenta With Sauteed Mixed Mushrooms Recipes

PANCETTA & BOURSIN POLENTA WITH SAUTEED MIXED MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Bring the vegetable stock to a boil in a large saucepan. Season with salt and pepper and add several larger mushrooms to the stock to fortify it. Lower heat and cook mushrooms and stock for 6 - 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile in another pan, render the Pancetta at a low heat until thoroughly cooked then remove the meat from the pan and squeeze all oil out with paper towels. You can also use regular bacon or turkey bacon or none at all, depends upon your taste and if you're vegetarian or not.
• Ensure you still have 4 1/2 cups of liquid, if not add water and a bouillon cube to the stock. Remove all the mushrooms with a slotted spoon, draining the liquid and reserve off to the side with the rest of your smaller mushrooms.
• Ensure you have a whisk and a wooden spoon or equivalent at the ready and a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper! Bring the stock back to a boil and add the polenta to the fortified stock in a thin stream, whisking continuously into the boiling liquid. As soon as it re-boils, reduce the heat immediately and swap your whisk for the wooden spoon. Stir in the pancetta, boursin, parmesan cheese and sun-dried tomatoes (optional) and simmer the polenta until thick and porridge-like. WARNING the polenta may start to splatter volcanically, if this happens, remove from the burner and keep stirring until it calms down.
• Spread the polenta evenly over the lined cookie sheet to about ½ to ¾ inch thick. Use the wooden spoon to spread evenly and smooth the top of the polenta. Leave this to cool for the next 20 - 30 minutes while you prep and cook the remaining items. If necessary, the polenta can be prepared up to a couple days in advance.
• Cut the polenta into long triangles and re-warm or pan-fry until lightly golden and crispy. I've tried it both ways, and prefer leaving the polenta as-is and foregoing the extra calories added to the dish by pan-frying. In either case you'll be serving each guest a couple triangles, so arrange a couple on each plate and prepare them for the delicious mushroom stir-fry!
• Have some long matches or a BBQ lighter and the marsala wine open and at the ready. Put a 60/40 mix of vegetable oil to olive oil in a frying pan and heat on medium heat to the smoke point. Add all the mushrooms and stir briskly for about 1 minute salting them with some kosher or sea salt. Add the shallots (or pearl onions), garlic, wild garlic shoots (or green onion) and chopped thyme and stir in to the mix. Pour in the marsala wine and immediately light the wine with a long match or lighter to quickly burn off the alcohol. Add the butter and stir into the marsala to create a creamy sauce. Season with more sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Stir-fry until mushrooms appear golden and cooked.
• Divide the mushroom stir-fry evenly amongst the plates, placing the mushrooms on top of the polenta and serve immediately.

POLENTA WITH MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Put the dried mushrooms in a medium bowl and pour in the boiling water. Press them down into the water now and then until they are soft, anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes depending on how dry they were. When it's time to cook them, lift them out of the water with your hands or a slotted spoon and chop them roughly. Reserve the soaking water.
• Put the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When it's hot, add the soaked dried and fresh mushrooms and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender and have released all their liquid. 10 to 15 minutes.
• Add the wine and let it bubble away for 1 minute, then stir in the garlic, 1/4 cup of the parsley, and 1 cup of the reserved soaking water. Cook until the liquid thickens a bit, another 2 or 3 minutes, then taste, adjust the seasoning, and turn off the heat under the skillet.
• Put the polenta in a medium pot with 1 cup water and whisk to form a smooth slurry. Whisk in the milk and a pinch of salt and set the pot over medium-high heat. Heat until the mixture boils then lower the heat to medium and cook, whisking frequently adding more water a little at a time to prevent lumps and keep the mixture somewhat soupy. Expect to add another 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups of water before the polenta is ready. The polenta will be done in 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the grind. It will be thick and creamy, with just a little grittiness, and the mixture will pull away from the sides of the pan when you stir. When the polenta is done, turn the heat under the mushrooms to medium to warm them quickly.
• Stir the butter and cheese into the polenta then taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve the polenta topped with the mushrooms and garnished with the remaining 1/4 cup parsley.
• Cooks' Notes
• Soaking Dried Mushrooms: The time needed to soften mushrooms depends on their size and age. They're ready when you can cut one easily with a paring knife. You want to reserve the soaking liquid but leave the grit behind, so lift out the mushrooms rather than pouring to drain them.
• Making The Sauce: When the mushrooms are tender and the wine has bubbled away, stir in the garlic, parsley, and soaking water.
• Making Polenta by the Slurry Method: When the slurry just starts to boil, turn it down a bit so it bubbles gently. Add more water or stir with a wooden spoon.
• Recognizing Doneness: When the polenta starts to pull away from the pan and is no longer gritty, it's time to stir in the butter and Parmesan.

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.