Grilled Polenta with Seared Crimini

For your Shopping Cart:

With so many uses for the beloved, old Italian peasant food, polenta, it wasn't long before someone paired the hearty grain with earthy, garlicky mushrooms. Fire up the grill for this tasty combination!

Ingredients:

1 (9.2-ounce) package DeLallo Instant Polenta 4 1/2 cups water 1 1/2 teaspoon salt 5 tablespoons DeLallo Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus extra for basting the polenta 3/4 pound crimini mushrooms 2 cloves garlic 1 teaspon salt 2 teaspoons dried thyme 1/2 pound Gouda or smoked Gouda

Directions:

Bring the water to a boil in a heavy, medium-sized saucepan. Once boiling, add salt. Add the polenta in a stream, whisking continuously. Keep whisking while the mixture thickens, about 1 minute. Pour into an 8 by 8-inch baking dish or 8 individual 1/2 cup oven-proof ramekins. Allow to cool.

Slice the mushrooms into 1/8-inch slices. Chop the garlic. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over a medium-high flame. When hot, add the mushrooms and cook for several minutes, stirring now and then. When the mushrooms begin to release their liquid, add the salt and thyme. Continue to cook until the mushrooms are soft and dark brown. Add garlic and cook until the pan is almost dry and some of the mushrooms and garlic have begun to crisp.

Pre-heat the grill to high heat. Cut the cooled polenta to the desired shape, or turn the rounds out of the ramekins. Paint one side of each slice or round with olive oil and place on the grill, oiled side down. Paint the top side with oil. Grill until grill marks show and the polenta (if totally cool) has warmed through, about 5 minutes. Turn and grill the second side. (Watch out for leaping flames.) When the second side of the polenta is grilled, remove to a baking sheet or individual ovenproof plates, or return rounds to ramekins.

Grate the cheese. Pre-heat the broiler. Spoon mushroom mixture over each slice or round of polenta, and then sprinkle with cheese. Broil about 4 inches under the flame until the cheese melts and begins to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle with a pinch of thyme. Serve immediately.

Serves 6 to 8 Printer-friendly version