Balsamic Mushroom and Baked Polenta Dish

Ingredients

• 14 baby bella mushrooms, stemmed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 ½ cups water
• 2 cups half-and-half
• ¾ cup polenta
• ¾ cup diced Swiss cheese
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon black truffle salt, or more to taste

Step 1

Heat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Toss the mushrooms in a large baking dish with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Give some fresh thyme a little crush between your fingers and sprinkle it over the mushrooms. Pop them in the oven and bake until they’re tender, about 20 minutes. Once done, use tongs to transfer the mushrooms to a plate, but keep any juices that have collected in the baking dish.

Step 2

Bring the water and half-and-half to a boil in a big pot. Slowly whisk in the polenta, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Turn the heat down and keep stirring until it thickens, which should take around 10 minutes. Take it off the heat, then stir in the Swiss cheese along with some sea salt and pepper until the cheese melts smoothly.

Step 3

Pour the creamy polenta back into the baking dish with the mushroom juices. Smooth it out with a spatula, then arrange the mushrooms on top, gill-side up. Sprinkle Parmesan over everything, and bake again for about 20 minutes until the mushrooms are soft and everything is heated through. Finish by sprinkling a little truffle salt over the top for a nice touch of flavor.