Creamy Mushroom Polenta

As the weather gets colder, I definitely turn to those dishes that warm you up on the insides and are truly stick to your ribs kind of meals. (It's ok, we'll all resolve to lose 10lbs in the New Year, and I'll be sure to post some waist slimming recipes then, so you don't need to fill bad about all these yummy dishes). 

I had never tried polenta before, (I know GASP!), but have always been curious about it and stumbled upon this recipe a few years back when I was looking up recipes for my first ever Thanksgiving dinner I made all by myself. It didn't fit right with the Thanksgiving dishes, but I held on to it, knowing that I'd want to make it sometime in the near future. Well, the near future turned into 3 years later (how does that happen?) and I finally dug the recipe out of my recipe binder and tried it. I'm so glad I did! It is cheesy and full of intense flavors from the mushrooms and it is delicious all by itself or as a side dish to these.

Creamy Mushroom Polenta...I love you. I promise to make you again and again and you should too!

Creamy Mushroom Polenta
4 cups water1 teaspoon salt
1 cup yellow cornmeal
Pinch pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/4 cups thinly sliced mushrooms (i.e. oyster, shitake, baby portobellas)
1/2 yellow onion diced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 tblsp thyme
Pinch pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

To make the polenta, begin by bringing the water and salt to a boil in a 3 quart saucepan. Slowly pour in the polenta and cook over medium-high heat for 2 minutes while whisking. Decrease the heat to low and cook for 45 minutes, stirring ever couple of minutes with a wooden spoon. Add parmesan. Cover the pan with the lid propped up on the spoon while not stirring.

Cook the mushrooms while the polenta is cooking: Set a large saute over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent.

Decrease the heat to medium-low and stir in the minced garlic and thyme. Cook for 30 seconds then stir in the mushrooms. Cook until soft, about 5 minutes, then stir in the wine. Simmer for 1 minute and season to taste with salt and pepper.

To finish the polenta, remove the pan from the heat and season with pepper. Stir in butter and top with sauteed mushroom and minced parsley.