Italian Herbed Polenta with Mushroom-Pepper Ragout

I have been thinking of making this dish for almost a week. It has been over a year since I have made polenta. Polenta is very versatile. You can make it creamy, like I have in this dish, or you can chill it firm and cut it into rounds or triangles. It can be baked, chilled and even fried. Polenta is a wonderful platform for so many different kinds of toppings. For this meal I made a Mushroom-Pepper Ragout.

This is a big bowl of comfort just waiting to be ate.

Italian Herbed Polenta:

• 3 c water
• 3 c vegetable broth
• 1 c yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 c nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp All-purpose seasoning
• 1-2 tbsp Italian Parsley, chopped, garnish
• Olive oil, garnish (optional)

Bring water and vegetable broth to a boil. Add cornmeal to the broth, stirring frequently. Stir in the all-purpose seasoning. This is important to achieve a creamy lump-free polenta. As the polenta thickens stir to keep it from forming lumps. Cook for about 30 minutes. Before serving stir in nutritional yeast.

Spoon into bowl and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle chopped parsley on the top.

Mushroom-Pepper Ragout:

• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1oz. Dried Shitake mushrooms hydrated in 1c vegetable broth (save liquid)
• 10 oz. Cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 12 oz. Portabella mushrooms, sliced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 14 oz. Pepper Trio, frozen, thawed
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp All-Purpose Seasoning
• Vegetable broth, add to remains broth from soaking mushrooms to equal 3/4 c
• 3/4 c white wine
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• Italian Parsley, fresh, chopped

In a large dutch oven over medium heat olive oil. Add mushrooms, onion, peppers, garlic and all-purpose seasoning. Stir.

Cook mushroom mixture for about 20 minutes. The mushrooms will reduce in volume considerably.

Add broth, wine and tomato paste. Stir until well combined. Cook until liquid has reduced in half.

Spoon on top of Polenta and sprinkle fresh Italian Parsley onto mushrooms.

Serve. Eat. Enjoy.