Slow Cooker Polenta with Mushroom and Kale Ragout

Polenta and mushroom ragout is one of our favorite dishes around here. I have experimented with several different recipes. In fact, I had never eaten polenta before my first try of this dish .... which I decided to try after coming across organic prepared packaged polenta during a grocery run.  Initially I sliced the packaged polenta and then grilled it on my George Foreman grill before topping it with the mushroom ragout. This was very delicious and I'm sure we'll have that again sometime (good party appetizer if you put just a little bit of mushrooms on top). But, my husband and I both agreed that tonight's dinner was the best version of this dish that I have made thus far.

The polenta was very easy - I made it in the SLOW COOKER (one of my very best friends .... a surprisingly large number of vegan recipes for the slow cooker .... in the past I had used it mostly for meats). I LOVE the book this recipe came out of (see citation below). I will review more about this book later.

The mushroom kale ragout, I created myself based on a couple of different recipes I have used for mushroom ragout and adding kale because I try to eat it daily.

Polenta (Classic with fennel "variation")

Kelly, Carla. (2012). Classic Polenta.  Quick and Easy Vegan Slow Cooking. (p. 192). New York: The Experiment

Gluten Free and Soy Free!!

4-6 servings

Ingredients
1 TBSP olive oil
2- 4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 - 1 fennel bulb, chopped finely
1 TBPS white wine, or vegetable stock
4 1/2 cups boiling vegetable stock
1 cup fine cornmeal
salt and black pepper

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and allow it to sizzle briefly.
2. Add the onion and fennel, toss to coat, and cook, stirring occasionally until soft and lightly browned, about 10 minutes
3. Deglaze the skillet with the wine (or broth) and transfer the contents of hte skillet to the slow cooker
4. Add the stock to the slow cooker. Stir.
5. While stirring, pour in the cornmeal in a continuous stream, ensuring no lumps form. The cornmeal will thicken a little
6. Cover, set heat to LOW, and cook for 5 hours until all the liquid is absorbed and the polenta is tender.
7. Taste and season as required
8. THIS IS ME (not in book) - I added one head of roasted garlic in addition to the sauteed garlic ... because I LOVE garlic ... after the polenta was cooked - I stirred it in immediately before serving.

 

Mushroom Kale Ragout

(created by the author of this blog)
4 servings

Ingredients
 2 TBSP olive oil or vegetable oil
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
2-4 cloves of garlic (per your preference), diced or sliced
1/4 tsp red chilli flakes
salt, to taste
1/2 lb. Crimini mushrooms (the brown ones. You can also use white button mushrooms, for a different flavor
1 cup dried shitake mushrooms, rehydrated
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup vegetable broth
large bunch of kale, chopped with stems removed

Directions

1. In wok or large skillet, heat oil over medium heat
2. When hot, add onion and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes
3. Add garlic, chilli flakes and pinch of salt, stir to combine and distribute oil. Continue to cook for 5-7 minutes
4. Add both types of mushrooms and cook until natural juices have come out of mushrooms and are starting to evaporate.
5. Increase temperature to medium-high and add white wine. Cook until wine has reduced. (Alcohol will cook out).
6. Add vegetable broth. Stir well to combine. Add salt to taste, if needed. Allow mushrooms to absorb flavor before adding the kale.
7. Add kale. You may want to leave it on top to keep the crispness of the kale. Otherwise, stir together into the ragout and cook until the kale is cooked to desired consistency.

I served this meal in a bowl - polenta on the bottom covered with the mushroom kale ragout.  It was a fantastic full meal. The recipes above will serve four with medium sized portions.

YUMMY!!!