by Laura Frankel

Winter time means comfort food, and the creamier the better. Number one on my list is polenta, which is really Italian cornmeal. I love its texture and the way it compliments so many dishes. It can be prepared in a creamy style–such as in the recipe below–or firm and then fried as in polenta fries. This dish makes a great opener for a dairy meal, a wonderful side dish to fish, or as a hearty entree on its own, to be consumed curled up on the couch! Mushrooms add a nutty, earthy flavor, which when combined with herbs, just might make you exclaim: Deliciozo!

For the polenta

Ingredients:

1 cup of Italian coarse corn meal or yellow corn meal

4 cups water

Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Place a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add the water and polenta at once into the pan. Stir the polenta vigorously at first with a wooden spoon. (As the polenta cooks it only needs to be stirred occasionally.) Reduce the heat and continue cooking until the polenta comes together as a mass and is no longer gritty.
2. Remove from the heat and stir in the mascarpone and parmesan cheeses. Salt and pepper as needed. Keep the polenta warm buy covering the pan and putting on very low heat.

For the ragout

Ingredients:

Extra Virgin olive oil

2 Shallots- peeled and sliced thinly

½ cup cremini mushrooms-stemmed and sliced in half

½ cup button mushrooms-sliced in half

¼ dried porcini mushrooms

¼ cup dry white wine

¼ cup cream

3 tablespoons butter (optional)

2 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley-chopped

1 teaspoon fresh thyme-stemmed and chopped

2 tablespoon fresh rosemary-chopped

2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Place a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Lightly oil the pan with Extra Virgin olive oil. Sauté the shallots until slightly browned. Add the mushrooms and sauté until golden brown. Add the wine and reduce by half. Add the cream and reduce by half. Add the butter if using. Add the remaining ingredients and turn down the heat. Allow the flavors to combine (about 15 minutes).
2. Pour the polenta into a large shallow bowl or serving platter. Pour the mushroom ragout over the top. Sprinkle with additional parsley if desired.

Serves 4 as a side dish