EASY, OVEN-BAKED POLENTA WITH BALSAMIC CREMINI MUSHROOMS

Easy, Oven-Baked Polenta with Balsamic Cremini Mushrooms image

A heartwarming winter dish of creamy parmesan polenta topped with balsamic cremini mushrooms

Provided by Marilena Leavitt

Categories Vegetarian main dish

Time 40m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 19

Previous Next

Ingredients

For the Polenta:
2 TBSP. butter
1 cup stone-ground corn meal (I used "Indian Head" brand old fashioned yellow corn meal)
1 cup milk
3.5 cups water
¾ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
4 oz. Parmigiano Regianno cheese, grated, (plus some more for serving)
For the Balsamic Mushrooms:
1 lb. small cremini mushrooms
2 TBSP. olive oil
2 TBSP. butter
1 medium shallot
4 small garlic cloves
--- salt and freshly ground pepper
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
2-3 TBSP. balsamic vinegar
2 tsp. brown sugar
--- fresh parsley, chopped, for topping (optional)

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Place a large, oven-proof pot over medium-high heat (I used a 4 qt. All-Clad pot). Add the water, the milk, and one tablespoon of the butter. Bring this to a simmer, season with salt and pepper, and stir to melt the butter. Gradually add the cornmeal, whisking steadily to incorporate (this initial stir is key to prevent clumps from forming). Bring the mixture to a boil, immediately cover the pot with a lid, and transfer to the middle rack of the oven. Bake at 325°F until the polenta is tender and soft, about 30 minutes.
Carefully remove the pot from the oven, stir in the second tablespoon of butter, cover again and let it stand for 5 minutes. Gradually add 4 oz. of the grated Parmesan, whisking briefly until the cheese has melted and is well incorporated. Check the consistency and the flavor, then cover and let it sit until ready to serve.
While the polenta is in the oven, prep the ingredients for the balsamic mushrooms. First, clean the mushrooms and cut them into one-inch pieces. Make sure that the mushrooms are completely dry before cooking. Slice the shallot and cut the garlic into slivers.
Set a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the mushrooms and "dry-sauté" them for 3 to 4 minutes, shaking the pan often, until they release most of their moisture.
Add the olive oil and butter to the skillet and toss to combine. Next, add the shallots, the salt and pepper, and cook until the shallots start to soften. Lastly, add the garlic and the thyme and cook a few minutes more until everything is well caramelized.
Stir the sugar into the balsamic vinegar and then drizzle the mixture over the mushrooms. Toss well to coat and let them cool slightly. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Divide the polenta among four bowls, top each with the balsamic mushrooms, more Parmesan cheese, and a good drizzle of your best olive oil. Garnish with some fresh parsley and serve!