Polenta with Mushroom Sauce

Ingredients 

• 3/4 cup polenta
• 7-8 button mushrooms
• 4-5 dried oyster mushrooms, soaked
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup milk
• 8 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons crushed garlic 
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed black peppercorns
• 4 tablespoons fresh cream
• 25 grams processed cheese
• 1 sprig  of fresh curly parsley
• 1 sprig of fresh thyme
• 1 sprig of fresh mint leaves

Method

1. Pour vegetable stock in a deep non-stick pan. Add ¼ cup milk and heat. Slice mushrooms thinly.
2. Add polenta to the vegetable stock mixture, and cook stirring continuously. Add 3 tbsps extra virgin olive oil, black pepper powder and salt and mix well. Add ¼ cup milk and mix again.
3. Grease a baking dish with a little oil, transfer the polenta into it and spread evenly. Drizzle 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil over and bake in preheated oven at 180° C for 10 minutes.
4. Heat 3 tbsps extra virgin olive oil in a shallow non-stick pan, add garlic and sauté for ½ minute. Add button mushrooms and salt. Roughly chop oyster mushrooms and add and sauté. Add crushed black peppercorns and mix. Add cream and mix.
5. Slice cheese, break into small pieces and add to the pan. Chop parsley and thyme and add to the pan and cook till almost dry.
6. Remove polenta from the oven and upturn on a plate. Cut a roundel using a large round cookie cutter and place it on a serving plate along with the cutter.
7. Put the mushroom sauce over it. Gently remove the cutter, garnish with a sprig of fresh mint and serve hot.

Nutrition Info