Cheesy white polenta and braised mushrooms

Name: Cheesy white polenta and braised mushrooms recipe
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 15g dried porcini mushrooms, chopped; 80ml olive oil; 200g portobello mushrooms; 400g Swiss brown mushrooms, halved if large; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 75g unsalted butter; 175g polenta; 180g milk powder; 150g taleggio or other soft cheese such as brie, skin removed, cut into 1.5cm pieces; 20.00 ml thyme leaves; 40.00 ml finely chopped flat-leaf parsley; Finely grated zest of 1 lemon or orange; 25g roasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped

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P50 Cheesy white polenta and braised mushrooms

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by Matt Preston

delicious. senior editor

Jul 22, 2022

Matt Preston shares this moreish meat-free dish, perfect for an easy weeknight meal.

15g dried porcini mushrooms, chopped
1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil
200g portobello mushrooms
400g Swiss brown mushrooms, halved if large
2 garlic cloves, crushed
75g unsalted butter
1 cup (175g) instant white polenta
1 1/2 cups (180g) full cream milk powder
150g taleggio or other soft cheese such as brie, skin removed, cut into 1.5cm pieces

Thyme gremolata

1 tbs thyme leaves
2 tbs finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon or orange
25g roasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped

Method

1.

Place dried porcini in a heatproof bowl. Pour over 1 cup (250ml) boiling water and set aside for 10 minutes to soak.
2.

Heat one-third of the oil in a large frypan over medium-high heat. Add portobello mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes each side or until almost tender. Transfer to a plate. In batches, cook the Swiss brown mushrooms with the remaining oil for 4-6 minutes until well browned. After the final batch of mushrooms has been cooked, return all the Swiss brown mushrooms to the pan.
3.

Add garlic and 25g butter to the mushrooms, and cook, tossing, for 2 minutes. Add portobello, porcini and strained soaking liquid to the pan. Season. Simmer for 8-10 minutes until mushrooms are tender and sauce has reduced by half.
4.

For the thyme gremolata, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
5.

Combine polenta and milk powder in a bowl. Bring 5 cups (1.25L) water to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. In a steady stream, add the polenta mixture, whisking constantly until it thickens. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring, for 5-10 minutes until smooth and cooked through. Add taleggio, 100ml hot water and remaining 50g butter and stir until melted and combined. Season, then divide among serving bowls and top with the mushroom mixture and gremolata. Serve immediately.