Overview

Rachel Roddy recipes are generally fantastic. This sounds easy and delicous.

Ingredients

  • Salt and pepper
  • 400g polenta
  • 75g butter
  • 50ml milk
  • 50g cheese, cubed
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, one whole, once minced
  • 400g mixed mushrooms, sliced
  • Minced parsley

Method

  • In a medium saucepan or deep saute pan with a heavy base, bring 1.6 litres of cold water to a boil, add salt, stir and reduce to a lively simmer. Slowly “rain” in the polenta, whisking as you do so to prevent it clumping.
  • Once the polenta is incorporated, swap the whisk for a wooden spoon and stir, very regularly, for 45 minutes, or until the polenta is thick but not stiff (if that is the case, add more hot water), pulling away from the sides of the pan and cooked through. Beat 50g butter, the milk and the cheese into the polenta, adding a little more milk, if necessary, to loosen it to a soft, spoonable consistency.
  • Meanwhile, melt the remaining butter and the olive oil, and warm the whole garlic clove. Add the mushrooms, saute until soft, then add the minced garlic and parsley, and season to taste.
  • Spoon the polenta on to a large serving dish or board, or several individual ones, and top with the mushroom mix. Serve, passing around extra grated cheese for those who want it.

Notes

If you have dried porcini, or similar, strain the soaking liquid through some muslin or paper towel to get the grit out then cook it down with the shrooms.

Cep powder would help boost the umami.

Some miso probably wouldn’t go amiss either.

References