POLENTA CORN CAKES WITH WILD MUSHROOM PAN ROAST '21' CLUB

Polenta Corn Cakes with Wild Mushroom Pan Roast '21' Club image

Yield Serves 8 as a first course

Number Of Ingredients 15

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For polenta:
2 ears corn, shucked
2 cups milk
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 ounces Roquefort, Gorgonzola, or other blue cheese (about 1/4 cup), crumbled
For mushrooms
1 cup cleaned mixed fresh exotic mushrooms* such as morels, shiitake, or cremini or one ounce dried mushrooms* soaked in very hot water 20 minutes and drained
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
freshly ground black pepper to taste
Garnish: 1/3 cup walnuts or pecans, toasted and chopped coarse
*available at specialty foods shops and by mail order from Aux Délices des Bois, tel.(800) 666-1232

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.