Polenta torte

OK, there’re no pictures with this one. I could lie and say it was because they didn’t come out right, or that one of my dogs ate them, but the truth is that from a presentation standpoint this was a giant polenta fail. But the concept I think is still a good one, and with firmer polenta I think this could be really good.


I had polenta leftover form the other night and I stored it in a square container in the fridge. Polenta sets up really nicely as it cools and if it’s thick enough, you can do all kinds of things with it. The plan here was to cut it into three layers horizontally, and then stack them with filling between them and cook them. Brilliant, it’ll look awesome. It’s an ingenious use of left over polenta. The reality is that my polenta was a little soft and sort of fell apart in the baking process. From a presentation point it was a disaster, but it did taste really good. I had some leftover and it’s reheating now for tonight’s dinner.

Because it’s a work in process this isn’t really a recipe, so much as a “how to” so you can have your own polenta fail in your own kitchen. But I’m convinced it would with firmer polenta. Anyway.

Put the bottom layer of polenta in an oven proof dish (I used an old square casserole). The stuffing for the next layer was caramelized onions and blanched, chopped spinach (about 1 onion to about half a pound of spinach). It also had a little bit of garlic added to it. Then put the middle layer of polenta on top of that. Add a layer of tofu “ricotta” (like from the stuffed shells, but you only need a 12 oz. package of tofu), and then the final layer of polenta. Voila! Polenta tart. Heat it in a 350 degree oven until it’s hot (the time will vary with the size of it). Take it out, pretend it didn’t collapse and sauce it with tomato sauce of your choice and then add a little basil cream (a big punch of fresh basil, roasted garlic and a little silken tofu whipped up in a blender). It was awesome, even if it wasn’t photographable.

Polenta and Mushrooms with Basil Almond Cream

There are two schools of polenta. Some people like it super rich with all kinds of added flavors and fat. And then there are the purists who like it cooked with nothing besides water and some salt and maybe pepper. I confess I used to like the super-rich way, where the polenta is really more of a vehicle for fat and other flavors. But a few years ago, I started to transition to the other school. Now I really polenta that actually tastes like polenta. It’s rich corn and slight sweet and almost nutty flavor is best unadulterated. Served plain, it’s also a great match for stews. In this recipe it’s paired with mushrooms and topped with a little bit of basil almond cream. You can use any type of mushrooms in this, but it’s best to use a mix. I use a mix of white, cremini, and shitakes in this, but you could add any wild mushrooms as well. I normally use sherry with mushrooms, but in this I use white wine because I like the brightness that it brings to the dish.

Mushrooms and polenta with basil almond cream
Serves 2 (can be doubled)

1 cup of polenta
8 oz. white mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
8 oz. cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
4 oz. shitake mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
2 teaspoons olive oil
1-2 teaspoons of kosher salt
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons of dried sage
¼ cup of white wine
¼ vegetable stock
Salt and pepper

Basil Almond Cream
½ cup of almonds
½ cup of water
2 tablespoons of finely chopped basil
Salt

1. Cook the polenta. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil and add some salt. When the water boils, pour the polenta in, while stirring with a whisk so it doesn’t lump. Turn the heat down and let it cook, stirring often, for about 20-30 minutes, until it’s smooth and creamy (not gritty). You will likely need to add water to it throughout.
2. While the polenta cooks, sauté the mushrooms. Add the oil to a skillet (I use non-stock). Add half of the mushrooms and cook on medium high heat, until they start to give up their liquid and brown slightly. Add the other half of the mushrooms and salt and cook, shaking the pan every few minutes, until they begin to brown. Add the garlic and sage and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Add the white wine and let it reduce by about half. Add the vegetable stock. You want a little bit of liquid in this, but it shouldn’t be soupy. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Add the basil almond cream ingredients to a blender and blend into a smooth paste. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Spoon some polenta into the bottom of two bowls. Add half of the mushrooms to each bowl and top with a dollop of almond cream.