Baked polenta with mushroom ragout

6 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 large Onion; chopped fine
4 Cloves garlic; minced
1 teaspoon Dried rosemary; crumbled
3 tablespoons Olive oil
1 pounds White mushrooms; sliced thin
1 pack Fresh Shitake mushrooms; quartered if large
1 tablespoon Tomato paste
1 cup Dry red wine
1 tablespoon Cornstarch
1⅓ cup Beef broth
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
6 cups Water
1 tablespoon Olive oil
2 cups Cornmeal
2 tablespoons Unsalted butter; cut into pieces
1 cup Parmesan cheese; freshly grated
⅓ cup Parsley; minced, fresh
¼ pounds Mozzarella cheese; diced fine

Directions

MUSHROOM RAGOUT

POLENTA

Date: Fri, 01 Mar 1996 03:22:46 -0400 From: Manzanita <manzana@...>

Here's one from Gourmet magazine a few years back--I made this recipe a couple of times--I substituted shitake mushrooms with Portobellos--yum! It's worth the prep time! I didn't do the star thing that the recipe calls for, I just made the top layer smooth. I have to also finish transcribing a good one from Bon Apetit this month,--a delicious roasted vegetable casserole with a polenta top--I'll send that to you soon, too. But for now try this one!!

Make the mushroom ragout: In a large deep skillet cook the onion, the garlic, and the rosemary in the oil over moderate heat, stirring, until the onion is softened, add the mushrooms and salt to taste, and cook the mixture over moderately high heat, stirring, for 10 minutes, or until the liquid the mushrooms give off is evaporated. Stir in the tomato paste and the wine and boil the mushroom mixture until most of the liquid is evaporated. In a small bowl stir the cornstarch into the broth, add the mixture and the Worcestershire sauce to the mushroom mixture, and bring the ragout to a boil, stirring. Simmer the ragout for 2 minutes and season it with salt and pepper.

In a large heavy saucepan bring the water with the oil to a boil and add 1 cup of the cornmeal, a little at a time, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to low, add the remaining 1 cup cornmeal in a slow stream, stirring constantly, and bring the mixture to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter, ⅔ cup of the Parmesan, the parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.

Spread one third of the polenta evenly in a buttered 13- by 9-inch baking dish and chill the polenta sheet for 20 minutes, or until it is firm. While the polenta is chilling, working quickly, spread half the remaining polenta in a buttered 3-quart shallow baking dish, top it with half the mushroom ragout, and top the ragout with the mozzarella. Spread the remaining polenta quickly over the mozzarella and top it with the remaining ragout.

Invert the polenta sheet onto a work surface and with 1 or more star-shaped cutters cut out as many stars as possible. Arrange the stars decoratively on the ragout and sprinkle them with the remaining ⅓ cup Parmesan. The layered polenta may be prepared up to this point 2 days in advance and kept covered and chilled.

Preheat the oven to 400øF. Bake the layered polenta in the upper third of the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the polenta stars are golden.

NOTE: The recipe did NOT call for any cornmeal! I assume from the instructions that 2 cups is what is needed....Glen MC-RECIPE@...

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