Polenta with Mushroom Ragout

Two of my favorite foods are cornmeal and mushrooms, so I can't resist combining the two. This rich and savory mushroom ragout, which is essentially a thick sauce or gravy, would also go nicely with rice or any other grain of your choosing, including pasta.

Polenta with Mushroom Ragout

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Italian Published on November 1, 2007 Rich, savory seasoned mushroom ragout spooned over hot creamy Parmesan polenta Print this recipe Ragout: 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 lbs (900 g) fresh mushrooms, quartered 1 onion, minced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (1 teaspoon dried) 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 1/2 cup white wine (or 1/4 cup vermouth and 1/4 cup of water) 1 1/2 tablespoons flour 1 cup vegetable stock or water 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped Polenta: 3 cups milk 1 cup water 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 1 cup yellow cornmeal 1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese Instructions: In a wok or large frying pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When hot, sauté the mushrooms, onion, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper for 8 to 10 minutes or until all of the liquid is evaporated. Next, add the wine or vermouth and water and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until evaporated. Add the flour, stirring to coat the mushrooms, and then pour in the stock or water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the parsley before serving. To make the polenta, bring the milk, water and salt to a boil in a large saucepan. Whisk in the cornmeal and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring, until thickened — about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese. Spoon the ragout over the polenta and serve. Makes 6 servings