When you need a side dish that pairs well with so many entrees and will be the star of the dinner table, this creamy roasted mushroom fennel polenta is definitely your best choice! The combination of flavors from roasted mushrooms, fennel and shallots paired with creamy polenta and a perfect balance of saltiness from freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese gives this dish an explosion of flavor! There’s no need to go out to a restaurant for this gourmet side dish, you can make it right in the comfort of your own home!
INGREDIENTS
CREAMY POLENTA
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup polenta, uncooked
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
ROASTED MUSHROOMS
- 8 ounces assorted mushrooms
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 shallot, diced
- 1 fennel bulb, trimmed, cored, and diced
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 4 tablespoons white cooking wine
- 1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Fresh basil leaves, torn
INSTRUCTIONS
POLENTA
- In a large saucepan, bring chicken broth to a boil.
- Slowly pour in polenta, whisking constantly to prevent clumping.
- Reduce heat to a simmer. Use a wooden spoon to stir almost constantly. Add more broth as needed if mixture becomes too dried out. Refer to polenta packaging for cook times.
- Once polenta is cooked and creamy, add cheese, butter, salt and pepper.
MUSHROOMS
- Clean mushrooms with a small brush or damp paper towel – no not rinse off.
- Cut off stems from mushrooms. Slice mushrooms into 1/4 inch thick pieces.
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cook shallot and fennel, until lightly browned, abut 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about another minute. Place in bowl and set aside.
- In same pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add about half the mushrooms to pan in a single layer. Season generously with salt and pepper. Saut? mushrooms until they begin to caramelize and crisp up, 3-5 minutes. Pour into bowl with fennel and set aside. Repeat with remaining mushrooms.
- Place mushrooms and fennel mixture back in pan and add wine to pan. Use wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits off bottom of pan. Once wine has mostly absorbed, add chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Add butter and whisk quickly to combine liquids.
SERVING
- Move polenta to a serving dish. Spoon mushrooms evenly on top of polenta, then tears of fresh basil and grate fresh Pecorino Romano cheese on top. Serve immediately or place in oven to keep warm.
Suggested wine pairing: Chardonnay
By: Madison
(Grabbed from: https://joyfullymad.com/roasted-mushroom-fennel-polenta/)