Recipe - Baked Polenta With Mushroom Ragout

MUSHROOM RAGOUT
1 lg Onion; chopped fine
4 Cloves garlic; minced
1 teaspoon Dried rosemary; crumbled
3 tablespoon Olive oil
1 pound White mushrooms; cut or sliced up thin
1 pack Fresh Shitake mushrooms;
quartered if large
1 tablespoon Tomato paste
1 cup Dry red wine
1 tablespoon Cornstarch
1 1/3 cup Beef broth
2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

POLENTA
6 cup Water
1 tablespoon Olive oil
2 cup Cornmeal
2 tablespoon Unsalted butter; cut into
pieces
1 cup Parmesan cheese; freshly
grated
1/3 cup Parsley; minced, fresh
One fourth pound Mozzarella cheese; minced
fine

Date: Fri, 01 Mar 1996 03:22:46 0400

From: Manzanita manzana@dorsai.org
Here's one from Gourmet magazine a few years backI made this recipe a
couple of timesI substituted shitake mushrooms with Portobellosyum!
It's worth the prep time! I didn't do the star thing that the recipe calls
for, I just made the top layer smooth. I have to also finish transcribing a
good one from Bon Apetit this month,a delicious roasted vegetable
casserole with a polenta topI'll send that to you soon, too. But for now
try this one!!

Make the mushroom ragout: In a large deep skillet cook the onion, the
garlic, and the rosemary in the oil over moderate heat, stirring, until the
onion is softened, add the mushrooms and salt to taste, and cook the
mixture over moderately high heat, stirring, for 10 minutes, or until the
liquid the mushrooms give off is evaporated. Stir in the tomato paste and
the wine and boil the mushroom mixture until most of the liquid is
evaporated. In a small bowl stir the cornstarch into the broth, add the
mixture and the Worcestershire sauce to the mushroom mixture, and bring the
ragout to a boil, stirring. Simmer the ragout for 2 minutes and season it
with salt and pepper.

In a large heavy saucepan bring the water with the oil to a boil and add 1
cup of the cornmeal, a little at a time, stirring constantly. Reduce the
heat to low, add the remaining 1 cup cornmeal in a slow stream, stirring
constantly, and bring the mixture to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat
and stir in the butter, 2/3 cup of the Parmesan, the parsley, and salt and
pepper to taste.

Spread one third of the polenta evenly in a buttered 13 by 9inch baking
dish and chill the polenta sheet for 20 minutes, or until it is firm. While
the polenta is chilling, working quickly, spread half the remaining polenta
in a buttered 3quart shallow baking dish, top it with half the mushroom
ragout, and top the ragout with the mozzarella. Spread the remaining
polenta quickly over the mozzarella and top it with the remaining ragout.

Invert the polenta sheet onto a work surface and with 1 or more starshaped
cutters cut out as many stars as possible. Arrange the stars decoratively
on the ragout and sprinkle them with the remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan. The
layered polenta may be prepared up to this point 2 days in advance and kept
covered and chilled.

Preheat the oven to 400øF. Bake the layered polenta in the upper third of
the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the polenta stars are golden.

NOTE: The recipe did NOT call for any cornmeal! I assume from the
instructions that 2 cups is what is needed....Glen

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