baked polenta with fontina mushroom sauce

Polenta is a traditional Italian dish that can be served as breakfast, lunch or dinner depending on how you season and top it.

This baked polenta with creamy mushroom sauce is one of my favorite dinners to make for other people. It's great for a dinner party beause it's different than the regular dishes people are used to. You can serve with a light olive oil pasta like this one, or in place of any bready side dish.  You can also grill it, see how here.

Serves 6-8

Baked Polenta 

Ingredients:

Corn Meal- 2 cups

Water- 10 cups

Olive Oil- 1/4 cup

Shredded Italain Cheese- 4 oz. or 1/2 cup 

Italian Herbs- Oregano & Parsley- to taste
Garlic/Garlic Powder- to taste

Butter- 2 tbsp. optional

Directions:

Bring water and olive oil to a boil. Whisk in corn meal. Stir constantly for first 3 minutes. Be careful, air bubbles will pop! 

Simmer on low heat until thick- about 10-20 minutes, stirring frequently so it doesn't stick. It is done when it pulls back from the sides or bottom. 

Season polenta with garlic powder, salt and herbs. Stir in butter and cheese and remove from heat immediately. 

Pour into sprayed 9 x 13 pan. Bake 20 minutes at 350. (Once it's been in oven 10 minutes, I start the sauce.) 

Fontina Mushroom Sauce adapted from Food.com

Ingredients:

Sliced Mushrooms- 16 oz. or 2 cups
Green Onion/Shallot- 1/2 cup,  minced

White Wine- 1/2 cup

Fat Free/Reduced Fat Sour Cream- 1/2 cup

Shredded Fontina Cheese- 2/3 cup 

Salt- to taste
Tarragon- to taste, optional

Directions:

Sauté mushrooms and shallots in a drizzle of olive oil about 8 minutes. Add wine and turn heat to high until absorbed- about 2-3 minutes.  Stir in tarragon, sour cream and fontina cheese. Remove from heat. Pour over individual slices of polenta and serve.