EP 27: Grilled Polenta with Mushrooms
Grilled Polenta with Mushrooms
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: ~10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Don’t be afraid of polenta. This recipe is a good introduction to the seductive powers of cornmeal!
1 18-oz tube precooked polenta, cut into 12 slices
½ tsp olive oil
2 medium shallots, thinly sliced (about ½ cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 oz specialty mushrooms (shiitake, oyster and cremini)
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
1 tsp minced fresh rosemary
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
Coat an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan with vegetable oil. Heat to medium-high. Place the 12 slices of polenta on hot grill. Grill 6-8 minutes preside; polenta is ready to turn when it loosens from the grill and has grill marks. Place on a serving platter and keep warm.
Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add shallots; sauté 2-3 minutes or until just soft. Add garlic; cook an additional minute. Add mushrooms to the shallot mixture and cook until the mushrooms start to give off their liquid, stirring occasionally. Add drained tomatoes, rosemary, salt and pepper. Decrease heat and simmer 5-10 minutes to blend flavors. Serve mushroom mixture over the grilled polenta.
Notes
No polenta? Serve the mushrooms and tomato mixture over rice or quinoa.
A mild onion can replace the shallots.
Any type of mushrooms available should work nicely.
Dried rosemary can substitute for fresh.
I made this a few weeks ago and it was sooooooooooooooo good. I’d never had polenta before, so I was a little nervous walking into it (for some reason I had it in my head that it was going to taste really sweet – which it doesn’t). I also thought the sauce would be boring on account of not having much in it. Far from it! This was such a great combination of flavors and a perfect summer meal – not too heavy but filling. I added a bit of basil to the sauce & cooked the polenta in my George Foreman grill because I don’t have a griddle pan.
Side note – I don’t eat much so I freeze what I can to cut down on cooking through the month. I sliced up and froze half of the un-cooked polenta and half of the cooked sauce. I just ate the leftovers tonight, it froze well and didn’t lose any flavor being reheated.
Another winner! Thanks Jess!
July 30th, 2008 at 4:53 pm
I found this website by Googling mushroom and polenta, because I have both of those in my fridge and not a clue what to do for dinner tonight. This is great, fast and easy. Thanks!
October 31st, 2008 at 12:08 pm
I googled “polenta and Geo Foreman Grill” to get this recipe. A neighbor gave me a pint of tomatoes which must be quickly used, so I’m making fresh tomato-corn relish and will serve it over the grilled polenta. If I find a flavored one in the grocery store, I would consider using it. Polenta does not have a lot of protein, so I will have to have a “pumped” up salad with lots of beans and legumes to make a balanced meal. Thanks for the recipe. This should be fun!
September 29th, 2009 at 5:00 pm