Grilled Polenta with mixed wild mushroom ragout

SERVES 12

Polenta

2 cups course ground polenta (I buy the organic, course ground corn meal sold
in bulk at Noah’s Natural Foods in Placerville)
6 cups vegetable or chicken stock or water
½ cup finely chopped red onion
4 tablespoons butter
1 clove of fresh garlic pressed
Sea Salt

Mixed Wild & Crimini Mushroom ragout

24 oz. Crimini or brown mushrooms (can substitute white domestic mushrooms)
4 oz. dried wild, mixed mushrooms (shitake, porcini, oyster, etc…)
½ cup finely chopped red onion
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup wine (white or red, can also use a good sherry)
1 cup finely grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano

Make Polenta:

In medium saucepan, melt butter and sauté red onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Add stock
or water and bring to boil. Press garlic into water and stir, add 1 teaspoon sea salt. While continuing
to stir liquid, gradually and slowly add the polenta, stirring continuously so it doesn’t clump. Continue
stirring on medium-low heat for about 15 to 20 minutes, until you can stand the spoon upright in
the middle of the cooked polenta. (Safety tip: Keep heat low and keep stirring…Be careful that as
it thickens the hot polenta doesn’t jump out onto your skin and cause a burn.)

Oil a 8” X 10” foil pan, scoop hot polenta into pan and cool. As it cools it will become firm. Slice cooled
polenta into 2” x 2” squares, brush with olive oil and place on a heated, oiled grill pan in a hot BBQ
(or broil in the oven). Grill until brown grill marks are visible. In the last minute of cooking sprinkle
with grated cheese and melt, remove from heat.

Make Mushroom Ragout:

Submerge dried mushrooms in warm water for 30 minutes, drain and coarsely chop.
(Note: you can save the strained mushroom water for use in stocks and soups)

Clean dirt off of fresh criminis & thinly slice by hand or save time and use the slicing blade of your
food processor

Melt butter and olive oil in a large sauté pan over med-high heat, add red onion and sauté until soft,
about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, stirring until coated with oil, butter and onions. Add 1 teaspoon sea
salt, fresh ground pepper. Cook until mushrooms are soft, browned and all of the water that they
let off is evaporated.

Add ½ Cup wine and cook until evaporated, add 1/3 cup heavy cream and cook until the liquid is cooked off.

Remove from heat and add parsley. Adjust seasoning.

Serve 2 Tablespoons mushroom ragout on top of polenta, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil (optional).

Make Ahead:

Polenta can be made up to 3 days in advance, covered with plastic wrap and reheated in the oven or grill.
Mushroom ragout can be made 1 day in advance, covered tightly and reheated in a sauté pan or in the microwave

Wine Suggestions:

This is one of the most versatile wine pairing dishes as it works with both red, white and even sparkling wines.
It is both rustic yet elegant, full of rich flavors and appropriate for any season. We served it at our Harvest
event as a perfect pairing with our red wines: Syrah, Zinfandel & Cabernet Sauvignon. If you serve this as
an appetizer or starter the Narrow Gate Vineyards Chardonnay is perfect as it's non-malolactic character
compliments the rich, palate coating texture of the dense polenta and mushroom ragout.

Narrow Gate Vineyards & Winery - 4282 Pleasant Valley Road - Placerville, CA - 95667 - 530.644.6201