Creamy Parmesan Polenta

Ingredients

• 8 oz Cremini Mushrooms
• 1 Shallot
• 1 oz Julienned Sun-Dried
• Tomatoes
• ½ oz Pine Nuts
• ¾ cup Quick-Cooking Polenta
• 3 oz Shaved Parmesan
• ⅞ oz Butter
• 2 fl. oz. Sherry Wine
• 2 oz Baby Spinach
• Olive Oil
• Salt Pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Add polenta to boiling water in: a slow stream while whisking to prevent lumps from forming. Pine nuts are known as “pignoli” in Italian and are used in everything from pestos to cookies flavored with

2. 2

   Prepare the Ingredients: Cut mushrooms into ⅓” slices. Peel and halve shallot. Cut into ¼” slices. Carefully ladle out ½ cup tomatoes. Set aside to rehydrate.

3. 3

   Start the Sauté: Return pan used to toast pine nuts to medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbsp. olive oil and mushrooms to hot pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and tender, 3-5 minutes. Add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, 1-2 minutes.

4. 4

   Toast the Pine Nuts: pine nuts to dry, hot pan and toast while stirring until golden brown, 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and reserve pan (no need to wipe clean).

5. 5

   Add sherry to pan and cook until mostly reduced,: 2-3 minutes. Add sun-dried tomatoes and rehy- drating liquid and cook until mostly reduced, 3-5 minutes. Remove from burner and add spinach, ½ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. pepper, and remaining butter. Stir together until butter is incorporated and spinach is wilted. If polenta gets too firm while sitting, whisk in water 2 Tbsp. at a time over medium heat to loosen.

6. 6

   Cook the Polenta: Pour polenta in a steady stream into remaining boiling water while whisking. Continue whisking over medium-high heat until polenta comes to a boil, 1-2 minutes. Whisk in Parmesan cheese (reserve a pinch for garnish), half the butter (reserving remaining for sauté), ½ tsp. salt, and a pinch of pepper until fully incorporated. Remove from burner. Taste and add more salt if desired. Polenta should be thick and creamy. Cover and set aside.

7. 7

   Plate the Dish: Place polenta on a plate or in a shallow bowl. Top with mushroom and sun-dried tomato sauté and sprinkle with pine nuts. Garnish with reserved recipe–it has bigger grains and is easier to pinch than table salt, allowing more control over flavor. If using regular table salt, reduce measured amounts used twice. Most is added to polenta, and a pinch is reserved for garnish. twice. Half is stirred into cooked polenta and remaining • If polenta gets too firm while sitting, whisk in water 2 Tbsp. at a time over medium heat to return to smooth consistency. the recipe before you start–we promise it will be time • Bring 3½ cups of water to a boil in a small pot

8. 8

   Cut mushrooms into ⅓” slices. Peel and halve