Roasted Mushrooms with Sherry Over Creamy Polenta (Alexandra Stafford, Food52)

Polenta Ingredients:

  • 4 cup water
  • 1 cup polenta or stone-ground coarse cornmeal
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or Olive Oil

Mushroom Ingredients:

  • 1 pound mushrooms, such as a mix of cremini and shiitakes
  • few sprigs thyme (optional)
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup sherry or dry white wine
  • 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus more to taste
  • kosher salt
  • freshly cracked pepper

For the Polenta: Mix the ingredients in a 6 cup baking dish and place in a 350° over. After 15 minutes, stir the mixture and return to the oven for an additional 15-20 minutes.

For the mushrooms: Preheat the oven to 325° F. Remove the stems from the mushrooms. Slice into quarters.

In a 9- by 13-inch baking dish, combine the mushrooms, thyme sprigs, shallots, garlic, sherry, and olive oil. Season with a big pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Toss to distribute every thing evenly, then spread in a an even layer. Cover pan with foil, transfer pan to the oven, and cookfor 30 minutes.

Remove pan from the oven and raise the heat to 450° F. Remove the foil. Holding the mushrooms in the pan with a spatula, drain the juices into a small saucepan and set aside. Spread the mushrooms out again, return pan to the oven, and roast until the mushrooms are beginning to brown, 15 to 20 minutes longer, stirring after 10 minutes.

Bring the juices to a gentle simmer. Let the juices reduce slowly while the mushrooms finish cooking — they don't need to reduce by half or any particular amount, but the flavors will concentrate as it simmers/reduces. When the mushroom are nearly done, add the tablespoon of butter to the juices. When it has incorporated into the juices, taste them. Adjust seasoning asneeded with more salt or butter to taste.

To serve: Ladle polenta into bowls, spoon mushrooms over top, drizzle with sauce.