CREAMY POLENTA & MUSHROOM RAGOUT

Creamy polenta & mushroom ragout image

Parmesan polenta topped with a rich mushroom mix and melting Taleggio cheese makes for a vegetarian main with a difference

Provided by Barney Desmazery

Time 1h5m

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ingredients

small handful dried porcini mushrooms
25g butter
1 shallot , finely sliced
2 garlic cloves , crushed
5 thyme sprigs , leaves picked
500g large field mushroom , sliced
200g chestnut mushroom , sliced
small glass of red wine
125ml vegetable stock
100g taleggio cheese (or vegetarian alternative), sliced
500ml milk
1 bay leaf
3 thyme sprigs
250g instant polenta
50g butter
75g parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), grated

Steps:

Soak the dried mushrooms in 150ml warm water. Set aside for 20 mins, then drain and squeeze, reserving the soaking liquid. Heat the butter in a large frying pan. When sizzling, add the shallot and cook for a few mins until soft. Add the garlic and thyme leaves, cook for 1 min more, then turn up the heat and add the soaked mushrooms. After 1 min, add all the other mushrooms and fry over a very high heat for 5 mins until soft. Splash in the red wine and boil rapidly for 1 min. Pour in the stock and reserved mushroom liquid, and simmer for 15 mins until you have a thickened stew. Turn off the heat.
For the polenta, bring the milk to the boil with 500ml water, the bay and thyme. Turn off the heat and leave to infuse for 20 mins, then fish out the herbs and bring back to the boil. Add the polenta in a steady stream, whisking steadily. Cook for 1 min until thickened, then stir in the butter and Parmesan. Spoon a 'crater' of polenta onto a baking tray and fill with the ragout. Top with slices of Taleggio, place under a hot grill until melting and oozy, then let everyone help themselves.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 643 calories, Fat 31 grams fat, SaturatedFat 19 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 61 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 10 grams sugar, Fiber 4 grams fiber, Protein 25 grams protein, Sodium 1.8 milligram of sodium