September 12, 2010 Creamy polenta with balsamic mushrooms and onions
Summers in Seattle are woefully, depressingly brief, but Seattle is so much more Seattle in the autumn. I like the cool, mild, rain-soaked days, particularly once I remember to keep an umbrella by my side. I like the colors of the changing leaves and I like the hustle of students during the start of the academic year.
I’m glad I’m able to find a few positives in what started as a cold spell, but has simply become a very early fall. We’ve had a few breaks during the past 2 months of sun and warmth, but most days require a jacket, and sometimes one with a hood.
Another great thing about fall is making hot things you eat with a spoon – stews, soups, chilis, porridges – which is why I found myself cooking a pot of creamy polenta for lunch. I curled up with a good book and a big spoon to eat a bowl full of hot polenta with a sprinkling of aged parmigiano reggiano, and topped generously with caramelized onions, mushrooms, and balsamic reduction.
RECIPE: Creamy polenta with caramelized onions and mushrooms
This dish serves around two plus some leftover polenta that can be grilled or pan fried later.
1 large onion, quartered and sliced thin
Around 8 crimini mushrooms, cleaned and diced
1 sprig of fresh thyme (or 1/2 t dried)
1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons of butter, unsalted
4 cups of water
2 tsp salt
1 cup medium-grain yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon butter
1/3 cup grated parmesan (plus extra parmesan for topping dish)
(Because the onions take longest to cook, I always make the onions first and then the rest of the dish.) Melt a tablespoon of butter in a heavy-bottomed skillet and add onion. Allow to cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally and scraping bottom to pick up caramelized bits, until onions turn a toasty brown color (about 30-40 minutes).
When onions are about 10 minutes from being done, start the polenta. Boil the water and add salt. Whisking continuously, pour the cup of cornmeal into the water. Allow to cook, stirring often, until polenta thickens and softens (about 30 minutes). (I usually test for done-ness when by running a whisk or folding polenta over, as the folded part remains for a few seconds before smoothing out.)
While the polenta is cooking, remove onions from pan and add another tablespoon of butter. Add mushrooms and brown well. Add leaves from sprig of thyme. When mushrooms are browned, add onions back into pan, and then balsamic vinegar. Allow to cook until vinegar turns syrupy (2-3 minutes).
Once polenta has thickened, stir in grated parmesan, tablespoon of butter, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Immediately spoon polenta into a bowl, add mushroom and onion mixture, and top with crumbled parmesan and a few fresh leaves of thyme. Serve immediately.
Remaining polenta can be poured into a greased bowl and refridgerated. Once firmed, invert the bowl to slice, and then pan fry or grill.
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