Here’s a sharing vegetarian dish for your New Year’s Eve feast.
Prep time: 20 minutes/Cook time: 15 minutes/Serves: 4
Ingredients:
3tbsp olive oil, divided
500g (1 lb) mixed mushrooms (such as oyster, shiitake, maitake, beech, cremini), torn, quartered or sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 red chilli, sliced thinly
Kosher salt and pepper
500ml (2 cups) whole milk
2 tbsp unsalted butter
115g (4 oz) instant polenta
35g (1/4 cup) finely-grated Pecorino Romano cheese
35g (1/4 cup) finely-grated Parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)
1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
15g (1/4 cup) fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
135g (2 cups) baby kale, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Method:
Heat 1½ tbsp. of the oil in a large frying pan on medium-high heat. Once hot, add half the mushrooms and cook, tossing occasionally, until golden brown (about 6 to 8 minutes). In the final 2 minutes of cooking, add half of garlic and chilli and season to taste with salt and pepper; transfer to plate. Repeat the cooking process with remaining oil, mushrooms, garlic, and chilli.
In the meantime, prepare polenta: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk, butter and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and bring to a boil. At this point whisk in polenta. Reduce heat to medium-low (mixture will sputter). Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick and creamy and comes away from the sides of the pan (about 3 to 4 minutes). Stir in cheeses and, if too thick, add 3 to 4 tbsp water (or milk).
Return the first batch of mushrooms to the frying pan, add vinegar and toss to combine, then toss in the parsley. Add the kale and cook over low heat, tossing until the leaves are just wilted (about 1 minute). Now add in the remaining mushrooms and allow to heat through (about 30 seconds)Serve on a bed of the polenta with additional Parmesan to accompany if desired.
