Sautéed Mushrooms with Sherry Over Creamy Polenta

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, mixed if desired
  • 2 shallots, sliced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup sherry or dry white wine
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 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° oven. After 15 minutes, stir the mixture and return to the oven for an additional 15-20 minutes.

For the mushrooms: Remove the stems from the mushrooms. Slice into 1/4 pieces.

In a large cast iron skillet, brown the mushrooms over moderately high heat. Once they are deeply colored, add the shallots and garlic, cook until fragrant. Add the sherry, butter and and olive oil. Season with a big pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the sauce has thickened. Adjust seasoning as needed with more salt or butter to taste. Ladle polenta into bowls, spoon mushrooms over top, drizzle with sauce.