Baked Polenta with Wild Mushroom
and Tomato Sauce

Baked Polenta with Wild Mushroom
and Tomato Sauce
Bon Appetit February 1988

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Sauce:
1/4 cup dried porcini mushrooms
(about 3/4 ounce)
1/2 cup (or more) water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons minced carrot
2 tablespoons minced celery
1 garlic clove, minced
6 ounces fresh wild mushrooms
(such as shiitake, chanterelles, morels)
stems trimmed, or button mushrooms,
cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 ounces button mushrooms, including
stems, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup dry red wine
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
Salt and freshly ground pepper
One 16-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes,
cut into 1/2-inch pieces (liquid reserved)
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh
parsley (preferably Italian flat-leaf)

Polenta:
Olive oil
6 tablespoons freshly grated
Parmesan cheese
1 cup cold low fat milk
1 cup yellow stone-ground or
regular cornmeal
1 1/2 cups degreased chicken stock
1 1/2 cups water

For sauce: Combine porcini and 1/2 cup water in heavy small sauce-
pan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 5 minutes. Remove
from heat. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. [Simmering the dried mush-
rooms in liquid rather than soaking them brings out their earthy flavor
best.] Remove porcini. Strain liquid through fine sieve, discarding any
sand at bottom of saucepan. If less than 3 tablespoons liquid remains,
add more water to measure 3 tablespoons. Set liquid aside. If porcini
seem gritty, rinse well; drain. Chop porcini coarsely; set aside.
Heat oil in heavy large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add
onion, carrot and celery and sauté until golden, about 8 minutes. Add
garlic and sauté 1 minute. Stir in fresh wild and button mushrooms
and reserved porcini liquid. Increase heat to medium and sauté until
mushrooms are tender and most of liquid has evaporated, approxi-
mately 8 minutes. Push mushrooms to side of skillet. Increase heat
to high and add wine. Bring to boil, then stir mushrooms into wine.
Reduce heat to medium and stir until wine reduces slightly, about 5
minutes. Stir in the dried porcini, thyme, salt and pepper and mix
well. Add tomatoes with liquid and bring to boil, stirring constantly.
Reduce heat and simmer until sauce is slightly thickened and chunky,
about 10 minutes. Stir in parsley. Adjust seasoning. (Can be prepared
1 day ahead, cooled, covered and refrigerated.) Set sauce aside.
For polenta: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly brush bottom
and sides of an 8-inch-square baking dish with oil. Sprinkle with 1
tablespoon Parmesan. Place milk in bowl. Gradually stir cornmeal
into milk; set aside. Bring stock and water to boil in heavy large
saucepan. Add salt to taste and gradually stir in cornmeal mixture.
Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring constantly with
wooden spoon or whisk, until polenta is stiff and clears sides of
pan, about 15 minutes. Stir in 4 tablespoons Parmesan. [Adjust
the seasoning.] Spread polenta in prepared dish. Sprinkle with the
remaining 1 tablespoon Parmesan. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead.
Cool, Press piece of plastic wrap onto surface and refrigerate.)
Bake the polenta until edges begin to brown, about 30 minutes. Let
polenta stand on wire rack 10 minutes. Reheat sauce. Cut polenta
into 4 pieces and place on plates. Top with sauce and serve
immediately. Serves 4.

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