Mushrooms With Polenta and Basil Mix

Chef floWer's Note:

The photo in the magazine really attracted me to the recipe and when I looked at the ingredients I knew our family will enjoy it. Cornmeal can be used in replace of Polenta, I also used 12 medium size mushrooms because I couldn't find field mushrooms and it worked well. The original recipe comes from Better Home & Garden Magazine - November 2005 issue

• Total Time: 35 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 4 large field mushrooms

Anchovy Mixture

• 1 (45 g) can anchovy fillets, drained
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1/2 bunch basil leaves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon pine nuts
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shaved

Polenta or Cornmeal Mixture

• 600 ml chicken stock
• 1/2 cup polenta or 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/4 cup cream
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 180oC/350oF/Mark 4.
2. Soak the anchovies in the milk for 10 minutes.
3. Line baking paper on oven tray. Remove the stalks from the mushrooms (discard stalks). Place the mushroom caps on the tray. (Set aside for later).
4. After 10 minutes, drain milk away from anchovies. In a food processor add the anchovies, garlic, basil and pine nuts and process until well combined. Add the oil and then process for 20-30 seconds.
5. To make polenta: Pour stock into a medium size pan and bring to boil. Add the polenta slowly and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the polenta has thickened. Remove from heat, allow to slightly cool, add cream and grated Parmesan, and stir to combine.
6. Put one teaspoon of anchovy mixture in each mushroom, top with a spoonful of polenta mixture then sprinkle with some shaved Parmesan.
7. Bake for 15-18 minutes.
8. To serve, spoon over more anchovy mixture (if there is some left over) and top with more Parmesan.

Reviews

[Celticevergreen]

The anchovy mixture turned out to be a slightly salty pesto mixture which added a lot of flavor to the bland polenta. Add it all together and it turned out to be really good. The thought of anchovys in the dish turned off some of the family members though. oh well, ended up with an empty dish anyways!!!