Creamy Polenta with Parmesan and Tomato-Mushroom Ragout

I suddenly had a craving for polenta. Not the kind in the tube I usually make, the slice and fry. Although it's pretty good all fried up with butter and all, but this time I wanted a soft, creamy polenta, to go alongside a nice, grilled steak.

Lot of recipes out there for polenta, fast or slow. White cornmeal, yellow, coarse, fine. I went with the sort of slow recipe, gives me a little more time to screw it up!  And I had yellow cornmeal in the pantry. Probably from the last time I had to have polenta and never got around to it. I made a few adaptions to the recipe, and topped it with a mushroom ragout. So good. Sort of like Cream of Wheat hot breakfast cereal but with corn flavor and it even had the same lumps like my Cream of Wheat. I am really lousy at constant stirring, so we all got used to the lumps.

We loved it. A lot. Even the lumps. And it was perfect with the skirt steaks.

Creamy Polenta with Parmesan and Tomato-Mushroom Ragout
Source: original polenta recipe by Nancy Grubin - Bon Appétit, June 2000
Adapted by There's Always Thyme to Cook
Printable Recipe

3 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 1/2 cups milk (I used 1%)
salt and pepper, to taste
1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon butter

Tomato-Mushroom Ragout:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large shallot, fine dice
1 garlic clove, minced
2 8-oz packages sliced white button or cremini mushrooms (or both)
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup Madeira
1/2 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half
salt and pepper, to taste
olive oil, for drizzling

For the ragout, melt a tablespoon of butter in with a tablespoon of olive oil in a large, heavy skillet. Add the shallots, garlic and mushrooms and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden brown. Add the tomatoes. Simmer about 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper. Add the Madeira, scrape all the bits from the pan, then add chicken stock and simmer for about 5 minutes more.

For the polenta, bring the broth, milk, salt and pepper to boil in a saucepan over high heat. Gradually whisk in cornmeal. Reduce heat to medium. Cook until mixture is very thick and creamy, whisking frequently, about 10 minutes. Whisk in the Parmesan cheese, then whisk in the butter. Remove from heat.

Spoon the polenta into plates, top with fresh grated Parmesan, the ragout and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve.

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