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Creamy Polenta with Red Wine Mushrooms

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A comforting and rich dish, this Creamy Polenta with Red Wine Mushrooms is great for entertaining, but easy enough for a decadent-tasting meal for two.

Ingredients:
For the Polenta:
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups soy milk
1 tbsp herbes de provence, crumbled
1 cup polenta (or cornmeal)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Mushrooms:
1 red onion, finely sliced
350g mushrooms, sliced (I used 250g chestnut and 100g shiitake)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup suitable-for-vegans red wine
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp tomato purée
1 tsp dried thyme, crumbled
1 heaped tsp cornflour (cornstarch) mixed to a smooth paste with a little cold water
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Add the vegetable broth and soy milk to a large saucepan over a medium heat. Stir in the herbes de provence. Sprinkle in the polenta, whisking vigorously as you go (there’s no need for the water to be boiling or even warm to start polenta).
2. As soon as the polenta starts to spit, reduce the heat to low. Stir occasionally until the polenta starts to pull away from the sides of the pan. Add the nutritional yeast, if using, and season to taste.
3. Meanwhile, sauté the mushrooms and the onion until the liquid released from the mushrooms is reabsorbed. Add the garlic and stir for a few seconds before stirring in the wine. Mix in the tomato purée and thyme and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the cornflour mixture and allow to thicken. Season with black pepper.
4. Serve the mushrooms on top of the polenta, garnished with a little parsley if desired.

Grilled polenta

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Polenta provides an inexpensive, easily seasoned and versatile base for a wide range of dishes. This version provides a side dish that’s a little crispy on the outside, but moist and flavorful on the inside.

Ingredients

1/2 cup of yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 cups of boiling water
1/2t of coarse sea salt
2T and 2t of cooking oil (reserve the 2t for grilling the polenta)
2t of garlic, minced
1T of nutritional yeast
Additional seasoning to taste*

Directions

Bring the oil to heat on medium high in a heavy bottomed pan on medium high
Add the sea salt and the garlic and saute the garlic for 2 minutes.
Add the water and bring to a soft boil.
Add corn meal slowly, stirring as you go.
Reduce heat to low and cook for roughly 40 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid sticking.
The polenta will be done when it’s quite thick and pulling away from the sides of the pan.
Add the nutritional yeast and any additional seasonings.
Let stand five minutes to cool.
Spoon the polenta into two lightly oiled ramekins, and smooth the top with a spoon.
Let cool for about 30 minutes uncovered in the refrigerator to setup.
Preheat the oven to 400F.
Carefully turn out the polenta.
Lightly oil the polenta and grill directly on the middle rack until the polenta browns a little here and there (about 10-15 minutes, turning once).

*I use sea salt and black pepper, but green herbs, particularly basil, sun-dried tomatoes, capers, olives, and other high flavour seasonings add variety, nutrition and colour.

**If you’re anxious about grilling something directly on your oven rack, use a lightly oiled pan with the drier top of the polenta down.

Tamari and lime seitan baked in garlic polenta

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A flavourful seitan baked in warm, garlicky polenta. Pictured here with a red wine tomato sauce and roasted greens.

For the seitan
2/3 cups vital wheat gluten flour
1T tamari
1/2t lime juice
1/2 cup scant cold water
1T fresh garlic, minced
1/4t coarse sea salt (or to taste)

For the polenta
2 cups water
1/2t coarse sea salt
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
2T unsweetened soy milk
2T olive oil
1T fresh garlic, minced
1/4t dried ground turmeric
2T of nutritional yeast
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

Make the polenta first, then the seitan.

Bring the water, sea salt and corn mealto a soft boil in a pan with a lid.
Reduce heat to low and cook for roughly 20-40 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid sticking.
The polenta will be done when it’s quite thick and pulling away from the sides of the pan. Cooking time will vary depending on the grind.
Add the nutritional yeast, garlic, turmeric, soy milk and any additional seasonings.
Stir thoroughly to combine.
Let stand five minutes to cool.
Spoon the polenta into a lightly oiled (or nonstick) 3″x9″ baking dish, and smooth the top with a spoon.
Let cool for about 30 minutes uncovered in the refrigerator to setup.
Preheat the oven to 375F and make the seitan.
Combine the all the ingredients but the flour, and then add to the flour.
Make a dough and knead for 5 minutes.
Divide in half and flatten each into oblong or circular shapes.
Carefully turn out the polenta, and cut in half.
Mold the polenta by hand around each piece of seitan until covered.
Lightly oil two pieces of aluminum foil.
Wrap the polenta covered seitan in the foil.
Bake for 40 minutes on the middle rack, turning once.
Remove the seitan and let rest 5 minutes.
Unwrap the seitan and add to a lightly oiled baking sheet.
Bake for another 20 minutes — until the polenta starts to start to lightly brown and the outside is lightly crisp. Ovens vary. Use the texture and colour as a guide.
Remove and let cool for 5 minutes and serve with the sauce of your choice.

Herb and garlic polenta with roasted vegetables, spinach and French lentils

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Garnished with kalamata olives, sliced heirloom grape tomatoes and a dollop of lemon, miso cashew cream.

Ingredients

For the polenta
2 cups of boiling water
1/2t of coarse sea salt
1/2 cup of yellow cornmeal
2T unsweetened soy milk
2T olive oil (or coconut oil, if you prefer)
1T fresh garlic, minced
1T dried Italian herbs, rubbed
1/4t dried ground turmeric
2T nutritional yeast
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the lentils and vegetables
1/2 cup French lentils
1.5 cups water
1 sprig kombu (about 2″)
2T olive oil, divided
1/2t coarse sea salt
1T fresh garlic, minced
1T tarmari
1T balsamic vinegar
1 medium zucchini, trimmed, sliced in half length-wise, and then in 1/4″ slices
1 small eggplant, trimmed, sliced in half length-wise, and cut in 1/4″ slices
1 red pepper, cored and cut in 1/4″ strips
200g cremini mushrooms, quartered
1 cup packed baby spinach
1/2T lemon juice
2T kalamata olives, finely chopped
3-4 heirloom grape tomatoes, thinly sliced, 1/8″
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the lemon, miso cashew sauce
1/4t coarse sea salt
2t lemon juice
1T cashew butter
2T cold water
1t white miso
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

Make the polenta first, then the lentils and the roasted vegetables.
Bring the water and sea salt to a soft boil in a pan with a lid.
Add the corn meal slowly, stirring as you go.
Reduce heat to low and cook for roughly 30-40 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid sticking.
The polenta will be done when it’s quite thick and pulling away from the sides of the pan.
Add the nutritional yeast, garlic, turmeric, soy milk and any additional seasonings.
Stir thoroughly to combine.
Let stand five minutes to cool.
Spoon the polenta into two, 5″ round tart pans (or similar) and smooth the top with a spoon.
Let cool for about 20 minutes uncovered in the refrigerator to setup.
Cover with plastic wrap until you’re ready to put it into the oven (as below).
In a small sauce pan with a lid, bring the water to a simmer.
Add the kombu and lentils.
Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 40 minutes or until the water is absorbed.
While the lentils cook, make the vegetables.
Preheat the oven to 450F.
Whisk 1T olive oil, 1/4t coarse sea salt, tamari, vinegar and garlic.
Toss the eggplant, zucchini, red pepper, mushrooms in the mixture.
Add the vegetables to a lightly oiled roasting pan and roast until the mix is lightly browned and softened, stirring here and there — expect 30 – 40 minutes. Ovens vary; use the colour and texture as guidance.
When the lentils are done, remove the kombu, rinse the lentils and set aside until the vegetables are done.
When they are, toss the lentils and the vegetables, and let cool 15 minutes.
Add the spinach, olives, 1T olive oil, nutritional yeast and 1/2T lemon juice.
Toss to combine, and let stand 10 minutes.
While the lentils and vegetables cool, add the polenta to a well-oiled baking sheet.
Bake for 20 – 30 minutes until lightly crisping.
While the polenta bakes, make the cashew sauce.
Whisk the cashew butter, lemon juice and water until smooth.
Add the miso and combine; the sauce should be thick but creamy. Add extra water, 1t at a time if it’s too thick.
Remove the polenta from the oven (carefully — it will be fragile) and plate.
Add half of the lentils and vegetables over the top.
Garnish with sliced tomatoes and a dollop of cashew sauce.

Single-serve polenta pancake with sauteed kale, sesame and tapioca white sauce and sliced heirloom tomatoes

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A simple dish for brunch for one that easily doubles.

Ingredients

For the polenta
1 1/3 cup boiling water
1/4t of coarse sea salt
1/3 cup coarse yellow cornmeal
2T unsweetened soy milk
1T olive oil (or coconut oil, if you prefer)
1/2T fresh garlic, minced
1T nutritional yeast
1 pinch black salt
1/2t dried ground turmeric (or to taste)
1T tapioca flour dissolved in 3T water
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

For white sauce
3/4 cup unsweetened soy milk
1/4t coarse sea salt
1T sesame seed butter (or cashew butter if you prefer something milder)
1/2T sauerkraut vinegar
1T nutritional yeast
1T tapioca dissolved in 1T cold water
Sea salt to taste

For kale and tomatoes
1 cup kale, chopped coarsely
1/4t sea salt
1T olive oil
2-3 heirloom grape tomatoes, thinly sliced, 1/8″
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

Make the polenta first, then the kale and the white sauce.
Bring the water and sea salt to a soft boil in a pan with a lid.
Add the corn meal slowly, stirring as you go.
Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for roughly 20-30 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid sticking.
The polenta will be done when it’s quite thick and pulling away from the sides of the pan.
Add the nutritional yeast, garlic, turmeric, soy milk and any additional seasonings.
Return to a light simmer on low.
Add the tapioca solution slowly stirring continuously until it thickens.
Remove from heat, let stand five minutes to cool, and season to taste.
Spoon the polenta into the bottom of 9″ round glass pie plate and smooth the top with a spoon.
Let cool for about 20 minutes uncovered in the refrigerator to setup.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill another hour or until you’re ready to put it into the oven.
When read, preheat the oven to 400F.
Carefully turn out the polenta onto a well-oiled baking sheet (use a spatula — it will be fragile).
Bake on the middle rack for 20 – 30 minutes until the bottom is lightly crisping.
Broil for about 5 minutes until the top is lightly browning.
Turn off the heat of the oven and leave the polenta on the middle rack to keep it warm.
While the polenta bakes, make the sauce and the kale.
In a small sauce pan, bring the soy milk to a simmer.
Add the sea salt, sesame seed butter and vinegar.
Simmer for 5 minutes on low.
Add the nutritional yeast.
Add the tapioca solution slowly stirring continuously until it thickens.
Remove from heat, season to taste and set aside for 5 minutes to cool.
In a frying pan, bring the oil to heat with 1/4t sea salt on medium high.
Add the kale and saute for 3-5 minutes (longer if you prefer your kale more cooked).
Remove from heat, season to taste and set aside.
When done, remove the polenta from the oven (carefully — it will be fragile) and plate.
Garnish with kale, then sauce, then sliced tomatoes.