A north Italian porridge made of coarsely ground cornmeal, polenta is wonderfully creamy, with a lightly sweet, buttery corn flavour. Step it up with this version made with sweet balsamic mushroom, onions, and served with fine herbs and shaved pecorino.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 40 min |
| Active: | 10 min |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- 4 cups (1 liter) low-sodium vegetable or mushroom broth
- 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 1 cup (150 grams) yellow cornmeal
- 2 tablespoons (28 grams) butter
- 1/2 cup (50 grams) grated Pecorino cheese
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups (about 450 grams) mixed mushrooms, roughly torn, sliced or halved
- Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons (28 grams) butter
- 1 red onion, cut into thin wedges
- 1 sprig rosemary
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons flour
- 1 1/2 cups (375 milliliters) low-sodium vegetable or mushroom broth
- 1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fine herbs, such as parsley, tarragon, basil or chives, plus more for serving
- Shaved Pecorino, for serving
Instructions
- For the polenta: Bring the vegetable broth to a boil in a medium pot with a tight-fitting lid over high heat. Stir in the garlic, then slowly whisk in the cornmeal. When slightly thickened, cover the pot with the lid, reduce the heat to low and allow it to simmer until thickened and creamy, 25 to 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Remove the polenta from the heat and whisk in the butter, Pecorino and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
- Meanwhile, for the mushrooms and onions: Place a large skillet over medium heat, add the mushrooms and season with salt. Dry sauté the mushrooms for 3 to 4 minutes, or until they release some of their moisture, stirring frequently. Add the butter, onion and rosemary and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the mushrooms are well browned and the onions are soft and lightly golden, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and balsamic vinegar and cook until the vinegar has almost bubbled away. Sprinkle in the flour and stir to coat. While stirring, slowly pour in the broth. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened and saucy.
- Finish the mushrooms and onions with the lemon zest, lemon juice and herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve the polenta in bowls topped with the balsamic mushrooms and onions. Top with grated Pecorino and a scattering of herbs.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 4 servings |
| Calories | 392 |
| Total Fat | 18 g |
| Saturated Fat | 11 g |
| Carbohydrates | 46 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 7 g |
| Protein | 14 g |
| Cholesterol | 50 mg |
| Sodium | 1351 mg |
Reviews
Made this recipe twice — love it! Added leftover rotisserie chicken for additional protein. Does take longer to make because of prep but that’s usual. Will definitely make again!
Made this recipe a month ago and came looking for it again…..it was so yummy! Great recipe, thanks!
Delicious – flavorful, filling and a winner in our house.
This was delicious! My daughter said she could eat this again and again! She has celiac disease, so it’s nice to find recipes that are filling, comfort food dish, gluten free, and a nice change from meat/fish.
Delicious. Not difficult to make. Ready in just over 30 minutes. And everyone in my house is raving about it! I like to do one meatless meal a week. This one is going to be part of my regular rotation. I even forgot the flour in the mushrooms so I just let it simmer a little longer to evaporate more if the liquid. Highly recommend.
I made this for lunch today with some changes to veganize it. Delicious! Will definitely make again. Superb comfort food on a dreary day.