PORTOBELLO CAPS WITH POLENTA, ASPARAGUS AND TOMATO

PORTOBELLO CAPS WITH POLENTA, ASPARAGUS AND TOMATO image

Categories Mushroom Vegetable Broil Vegetarian

Yield Serves 3-4 as a main course, 6 as a side.

Number Of Ingredients 11

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Ingredients

½ - ¾ oz dried porcini mushrooms
¾ lb asparagus (about 18-20 thin spears), tough ends removed and peeled
6 Tbsp olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh rosemary leaves, minced
3 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced into large, 1-inch cubes
½ cup dry red wine
1½ cups vegetable stock
½ cup polenta
6 portobello mushroom caps - stems and gills removed, excess dirt cleaned off
salt, pepper and sugar

Steps:

-Soak porcinis in 1 cup lukewarm water for 30 minutes. Remove porcinis and save ½ cup of the soaking water. Chop coarsely, and set aside. Brush asparagus with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and set aside. -Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil, garlic and rosemary in a small saucepan over medium heat until garlic is fragrant - 2 minutes. Add porcinis, and cook 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, and red wine, stir to combine. Then add a pinch of sugar and let sauce simmer lightly while you make the polenta. -Mix the porcini water and polenta to make a slurry in a small bowl. Meanwhile, bring vegetable stock to a boil in a medium saucepan. As soon as the stock is boiling, add polenta while stirring to make sure the mixture is smooth. Continue to stir polenta frequently while it cooks over medium heat for the next 30-40 minutes. (Add more hot water if needed while it cooks.) -While the polenta is cooking, turn on your oven's broiler, and preheat your broiler pan. -When the polenta is done (no longer gritty and is pulling away from the sides of the pan when stirred), remove from heat and cover. Let polenta rest 5 minutes while broiling vegetables. -Brush the Portobello caps with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. (Should only be done right before cooking, so caps don't absorb excess oil.) -Place asparagus and Portobellos (cup side down) on the pre-heated broiler pan. Broil on one side for 2 minutes, then use kitchen tongs to turn all the vegetables. Watch carefully and broil until all vegetables are done - about 2-3 minutes more. (You can test the caps for doneness by using a fork inserted into the center of the mushroom cap.) Remove and set aside broiled vegetables when done. -To assemble, place the 6 portobello caps on a serving platter, cup side up. Divide the polenta between the caps, using a spoon to mound it in the cap. Drape 3-4 asparagus spears across the polenta in each cap. Top off with the porcini-tomato sauce, serve immediately.