Mushroom Ragout With Oven Polenta

I grant it costs much to be a true Christian. But who in his sound senses can doubt that it is worth any cost to have the soul saved? When the ship is in danger of sinking, the crew think nothing of casting overboard the precious cargo. When a limb is mortified, a man will submit to any severe operation, and even to amputation, to save life. Surely a Christian should be willing to give up anything which stands between him and heaven. A religion that costs nothing is worth nothing! A cheap Christianity, without a cross, will prove in the end a useless Christianity, without a crown.

J.C. Ryle

CATEGORY	CUISINE	TAG	YIELD
Dairy	American	Veg03	4	Servings

INGREDIENTS

1	c	Cornmeal, coarse-ground
1	T	Kosher salt
1	t	Fresh ground pepper
1	T	Butter, cut into pieces
1/2	c	Asiago cheese, grated
		OR dry jack
1/2	c	Dried porcini mushrooms, in
		med. pieces
		about 1/2 ounce
2	T	Unsalted butter
1		Shallot, minced
1		Clove garlic
1	lb	Fresh mushrooms, assorted*
1/2	c	Italian parsley, minced
		Kosher salt
		Fresh black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Mushrooms such as: chanterelles, oysters, shiitakes, or cremini  Make
the polenta: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the  cornmeal
with 4 cups of water in a 1-1/2 quart baking dish. Add the  salt,
pepper, and butter. Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes. Stir the  polenta,
add the cheese, and bake for 10 minutes more, until the  cornmeal is
tender and all of the liquid is absorbed. Let rest 5  minutes before
serving.  Meanwhile, soak the porcini in 1-1/2 cups hot water until
they are  soft, about 15 minutes. While the porcini soak, melt the
butter in a  large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot, and saute
it until  it is soft and fragrant, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic, and
saute  for 2 minutes more. Add the fresh mushrooms, and saute them for
4 to  5 minutes, or until they soften.  Strain the porcini, reserving
the soaking liquid, and chop them. Add  the porcini and the liquid to
the fresh mushroom mixture, cover the  pan, reduce the heat to low, and
cook until the mushroooms are  completely limp, 8 to 15 minutes,
depending on the varieties of  mushrooms. Uncover the skillet, increase
the heat to high, and cook  until the liquid is almost completely
reduced, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir  in the parsley, and season with salt and
pepper.  Spoon the polenta onto individual plates, spoon the ragout
over it,  and serve immediately.  Notes: Use whatever mushrooms are
available. Cooking polenta in the  oven is quick and the cornmeal
develops a rich flavor. You only have  to stir the polenta once! But
remember that polenta cooked in this  way firms up very quickly.
Source: California Home Cooking: American cooking in the California
style by Michele Anna Jordan, 1997  Recipe by: California Home Cooking
Converted by MM_Buster v2.0l.

A Message from our Provider:

“Ask ‘What would Jesus do?\” Apply the answer!”

'Not called!' did you say? “Not heard the call,” I think you should say. Put your ear down to the Bible, and hear Him bid you go and pull sinners out of the fire of sin. Put your ear down to the burdened, agonized heart of humanity, and listen to its pitiful wail for help. Go stand by the gates of hell, and hear the damned entreat you to go to their father’s house and bid their brothers and sisters and servants and masters not to come there. Then look Christ in the face – whose mercy you have professed to obey – and tell Him whether you will join heart and soul and body and circumstances in the march to publish His mercy to the world.

William Booth