Crispy Polenta with Mushroom Ragout

My husband and I both recently read the same book on the benefits of a gluten-free diet and decided to give it a try.

The results have been positive – I’ve dropped 5 lbs. in the last two weeks (It was 6.5 but I slipped).

However, as a vegetarian pasta and bread lover, the switch has been somewhat challenging.

And then I remembered how much I love polenta and the way it satisfies me in a way very similar to that of my beloved pasta and bread.

A few notes about this recipe:

* Before serving, I did pop the polenta rounds in the microwave for about 20 seconds.
* I used vegan butter (it’s the only kind I buy anymore).
* I had big plans to make my own polenta but just ran short on time. And really, the pre-made stuff worked great.

1 tube prepared polenta

1/2 cup cornmeal

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoon Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/3 cup yellow onion, chopped

16 ounces mushrooms (I used 1 package each of baby bella and shiitake), sliced

5 cloves garlic, minced

salt and pepper, to taste

1/4 cup Marsala wine

1 1/2 cup vegetable broth

2 tablsepoons Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1. Slice polenta into 1″ thick rounds. Begin heating butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

2. In a small bowl, combine cornmeal, salt, pepper, and parsley. Dredge each round in the cornmeal mixture and add to skillet.

3. Allow polenta to cook 5-10 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Remove any cornmeal residue from the pan.

4. To the skillet, add the remaining 2 TBSP olive oil. Saute onions and mushrooms until soft and fragrant.

5. Add garlic, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking and stirring another 2-3 minutes.

6. Pour in the wine and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer approximately 15 minutes.

7. Top polenta rounds with mushroom sauce and serve immediately.