Exotic Mushrooms over Polenta

With the beginning of the new year, I’ve decided I want to try more meatless meals. This one was very tasty and a good winter meal.

Ingredients

Assorted exotic mushrooms (these can usually be found at finer supermarkets) – sliced

A few white mushrooms – sliced

Chopped parsley

Minced garlic

Chicken broth

Cooked polenta

Directions

Heat some olive oil in a pan. Add the mushrooms, garlic and parsley. Cook slowly until the mushrooms are soft. Add some broth to the pan if it starts to stick.

Make a slurry of flour and broth and set aside.

When the mushrooms are done, add some broth and the slurry. Cook over low heat until the mixture thickens. Adjust the broth level until you have a nice sauce, making sure it’s not runny. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve over hot polenta.

Crockpot Braised Beef Ragu Over Polenta

The original recipe wasn’t great because I didn’t take the time to make the marinara sauce (the recipe just called for putting in the sauce ingredients raw into the crock pot). Next time this is how I want to make it! Hopefully it will be better.

Ingredients:

3 lb. beef rump roast

1/2 onion, minced

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 28 oz. can of San Marzano whole tomatoes, pureed

1/2 c. red wine

3 T. tomato paste

Basil, oregano, bay leaves

Salt & pepper

Polenta

Directions:

Sear the roast on all sides until brown. Remove from stove and place in crock pot.

Saute the onions and garlic in some olive oil.

Add the tomato sauce and paste and all the spices.

Cook the sauce until flavorful. Add some bouillon if needed.

Pour the sauce into the crock pot.

Cook on low for about 8 hours.

Shred the meat and return it to the crock pot. Cook for a little bit more.

Serve the ragu over polenta.

Chicken and Sausage

This was a great way for me to use up a lot of the leftover ingredients I had in my refrigerator from last week’s paella making adventure!

Ingredients:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces

1-2 chorizo sausages, skinned and chopped

1 bunch kale, center rib removed and chopped

1/2 marinara sauce

Polenta, cooked according to package directions

Directions:

Saute the chorizo and chicken breasts in some olive oil. Once browned, add the kale and the marinara sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until everything is cooked through and the kale is softened.

Serve over polenta!

Polenta Topped with Sausage & Leeks

This is more of a hearty winter meal, but it still sounded good in summer! Make sure you salt your polenta water well – I didn’t and it was a bit “boring”… Also, make the polenta ahead of time so that it hardens a bit and you can cut it into slices. If it’s cold, warm it up either in a frying pan or in the microwave.

Ingredients:

3 cups water or broth

1 cup polenta meal

4 Italian sausages – cut up into bit size pieces

2 minced garlic cloves

3 leeks, cleaned and white part finely chopped

Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:

Combine water (or broth), polenta and salt into a pot. Bring to a slow boil, stirring constantly. Cook until done, about 25 minutes.

While the polenta is cooking, put some hot water in a loaf pan.

When the polenta is done, remove the water from the loaf pan and pour in the polenta. Top with some grated Parmesan cheese. Let it sit in the loaf pan while you make the sausage.

In a frying pan, add some olive oil. Add the cut sausage, garlic and leeks. Cook until the sausages are cooked and the leeks are soft. Season with salt and pepper.

Turn the loaf pan with the polenta onto a plate so that the polenta slides out. Cut the polenta into slices and arrange them on a plate.

Top with the sausage mixture and finish with some grated Parmesan cheese.

 

Left Over Polenta & Cheese

What do you do when you have left over polenta? The answer is the tastiest treat ever! My mom taught me this and she makes more polenta so that she can have this!

Ingredients:

Left over polenta – cut into thin slices

Butter

Grated cheese – any kind you like

Dried spices of your choice

Directions:

Heat the butter in a frying pan until it stops sizzling.

Place the polenta slices and cook them until both sides are starting to brown and getting a little crunchy.

Sprinkle some seasonings and top with some grated cheese. Melt the cheese and enjoy.

Polenta with Swiss Chard & Mushrooms

I’m not sure if polenta is actually dash-friendly, but I feel it’s healthier than pasta and white rice, so I’m including it here on my blog.

Ingredients:

3 c water

1 c milk

1 c polenta

2 oz. grated Parmesan cheese

1 onion, finely chopped

1 1/2 lb. sliced mushrooms

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 T. fresh thyme

1 c. marinara sauce

8 oz. swiss chard, stemmed and cut into 1″ pieces

4 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese

Salt & pepper

Olive oil

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400.

Add water, milk and polenta into a large pot. Bring slowly to a boil, stirring constantly.

Cover and turn down heat. Cook for about 20 minutes, stirring often.

In the meantime, add some olive oil in a pan.

Add the onions and sauté until translucent.

Add the mushrooms and cook until the water has evaporated and they have browned..

Stir in the garlic and thyme.

Stir in the marinara sauce. Add the swiss chard a little at a time until it has all wilted. Season with salt and pepper.

Once the polenta is cooked, remove from heat and add the parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Stir to melt the cheese.

Place the polenta into a rectangular baking dish and smooth out to make it even.

Top with the swiss chard mixture.

Top with grated mozzarella cheese.

Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes.