1-½poundsfreshmixed wild mushrooms, washed, dried and roughly chopped (I used Shitake, Maitake, Oyster & King Oyster)
¼cupdry sherry
½teaspoonsea salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the Polenta
2-½cupsvegetable stock
½teaspoonssea salt
½teaspoondried thyme
¾cupplus 2 tablespoons polentacoarse cornmeal
¼cupCrème fraîche
2tablespoonsfinely grated Parmesan cheese
2teaspoonsunsalted butter
Instructions
For the mushrooms:
Coat the bottom of a large sauté pan with about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and place it over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onions are caramelized, about 15 minutes.
Add the thyme, the remaining olive oil, and mushrooms.
Turn the heat to medium and sauté the mushrooms until they are very caramelized, about 20 minutes.
Turn the heat to low, and add the sherry. Then turn the heat to high and deglaze the pan with the sherry, scraping any bits of onion and mushrooms off the bottom of the pan and back into the mixture. Cook for another 5 minutes or so.
Season with the salt and pepper. Cover and set aside.
For the polenta:
In a medium-sized saucepan, add the salt and dried thyme to the stock and bring to a boil.
Gradually whisk in the polenta, reduce the heat to low and cook until the mixture thickens and the cornmeal is tender, stirring often, about 8 minutes.
Turn off the heat and the Crème fraîche, Parmesan and butter.
Stir to blend and either combine the polenta with the mushroom mixture, or serve it beneath them on a large platter.
Notes
This recipe is great with almost any mushroom variety. I love it with Crimini and white button mushrooms, too!