Baked Polenta With Mushrooms

Total Time: 35 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 cups water or 4 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 cups coarse cornmeal or 1 1/2 cups cornmeal
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 teaspoon dried sage
• 7 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 lbs mushrooms, sliced thin (i like button mushrooms but use any of your choice or a combination)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground coarse black pepper
• 6 ounces grated fontina cheese
• garnish with chopped fresh parsley leaves

Recipe

• 1 heat oven to 350°f.
• 2 in medium saucepan, bring the water and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil.
• 3 add the cornmeal in a slow stream, whisking.
• 4 whisk in tablespoon of the butter 1/4 teaspoon of the sage.
• 5 reduce the heat and simmer, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until vey thick, about 20 minutes.
• 6 stir in 3 tablespoons of the parmesan.
• 7 meanwhile, butter an 8"x12" baking dish.
• 8 in a large frying pan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and 1 tablespoon of the oil over moderately high heat.
• 9 add half the mushrooms, 1/2 of garlic 1/4 tsp each of the salt and sage and 1/4 tsp of the pepper.
• 10 cook, stirring frequently until the mushrooms are golden, about 5 minutes.
• 11 remove.
• 12 repeat with remaining mushrooms, salt, garlic, salt, sage and pepper.
• 13 pour half the polenta into the baking dish and spread in an even layer.
• 14 top with half the mushrooms, followed by half of the fontina and 2 tablespoons of the parmesan.
• 15 repeat with remaining polenta, mushrooms, fontina and parmesan.
• 16 bake until cheese is bubbling, about 15 minutes.
• 17 sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.