A creamy Parmesan Polenta served with a fresh Lemon Thyme Wild Mushroom mixture made from cremini and shitaki mushrooms, makes for the ultimate gluten free vegetarian dish! Plus you just feel classy eating it!
Alright folks, the subject of today is …. polenta. Have you had it? Have you not? What did you think?
To be honest, at first glance of the stuff, it doesn’t look to appealing nor does it sound like it would have much flavor to it. I mean really, its just cornmeal, how much flavor can it have?
Well… turns out.. ALOT!
I had it for the first time in Napa when we went to Bottega, Michael Chiarello’s Restaurant. It was a parmesan polenta that was served with grilled lamb chops and sauteed swiss chard. OMG!!! Soo sooo good! It was creamy cheesy and went perfectly with the grilled lamb chops. I knew right then and there that I had to try and recreate that polenta at home.
So, that is what todays recipe is. An inspiration from the dish I had in Napa. I decided to go meatless, so maybe I should have posted this on Monday for Meatless Monday. But now you have it so that you can make it ON Monday. 🙂
This dish has all of my favorite things, a zesty bite from the lemon, earthiness from the different mushrooms, fresh herbs, and cheesy creaminess to finish it off!
Best of all, this Parmesan Polenta with Wild Mushrooms is vegetarian and gluten free! Win ANNNNNDDDD Win! 🙂
To get started, add 3 cups of vegetable broth to a medium size saucepan and bring to a boil. Slowly stir in 1 cup of polenta with a whisk. Reduce heat and allow polenta to cook for 30 minutes, stirring frequently so that the polenta does not stick to sides.
In the meantime, heat a medium non-stick saute pan to medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/4 cup of sliced shallots. Saute for 3-4 minutes until shallots are translucent.
Next add 1 minced garlic clove and saute for 30 seconds. Immediately add in 2 cups of sliced cremini mushrooms with 1/2 cup of sliced shitaki mushrooms.
Saute for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Finish off the mushrooms with juice from 1 lemon and 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh thyme. Next, to the polenta, add in 1/2 cup of shredded parmesan, salt, and pepper to taste and serve!
Parmesan Polenta with Lemon Thyme Wild Mushrooms
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Total Time: 50 mins
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Category: vegetarian, gluten free, side dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A creamy Parmesan Polenta served with a fresh Lemon Thyme Wild Mushroom mixture made from cremini and shitaki mushrooms, makes the ultimate gluten free vegetarian dish!
Ingredients
Parmesan Polenta:
- 3 cup of vegetable broth
- 1 cup of polenta
- 1/2 cup of shredded parmesan
- salt & pepper
Lemon Thyme Wild Mushrooms:
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1/4 cup of shallots, sliced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 cups of cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1/2 cup of shitaki, sliced
- juice from 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons of fresh thyme, chopped
Instructions
- Add vegetable broth to a medium size saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Slowly stir in polenta with a whisk.
- Reduce heat and allow polenta to cook for 30 minutes, stirring frequently so that the polenta does not stick to sides.
- In the meantime, heat a medium non-stick saute pan to medium high heat. Add olive oil and sliced shallots. Saute for 3-4 minutes until shallots are translucent.
- Next add minced garlic clove and saute for 30 seconds.
- Immediately add in sliced cremini mushrooms with sliced shitaki mushrooms.
- Saute for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Finish off the mushrooms with lemon juice and chopped fresh thyme.
- Next, to the polenta, add in 1/2 cup of shredded parmesan, salt, and pepper to taste and serve!
