MUSHROOM & LENTIL RAGU WITH CREAMY POLENTA
Whenever I feel like eating something cosy and comforting, polenta always does the job. If you know how to make it properly, there truly is nothing better. Served with my favourite ragu, it makes a gorgeous wintery dinner.
Ingredients
- 25 g dried porcini mushrooms
- 400 g mixed mushrooms torn into small chunks
- olive oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 200 g celeriac finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 150 ml red wine
- 400 g can chopped tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 750 ml vegetable stock
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 100 g dried puy lentils
- 2 bay leaves
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 20 sage leaves
- salt & freshly ground black pepper
- to serve: plant-based parmesan
POLENTA
- 250 ml plant-based milk (I use oat milk)
- 160 g polenta
- 50 g plant-based butter
- 50 g plant-based parmesan
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 200°c (fan assisted)/420°f/gas 7.
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Place the dried porcini mushrooms into a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside and allow to soak.
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Combine the torn mushrooms, a good glug of olive oil and a pinch of salt and black pepper on a baking tray. Use your hands to give everything a mix, then roast for 15-20 minutes, turning once halfway through, until the mushrooms are golden and starting to crisp up at the edges.
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Heat a good glug of olive oil in a large pan set over a medium heat. Once hot, add the onion, celeriac and a pinch of salt and fry for 8-10 minutes, stirring regularly, until everything has softened. Remove the soaked porcini mushrooms from their liquid (reserving the liquid for later) and finely chop. Add them to the pan, along with the garlic, and cook for a further minute or so, just to soften.
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Increase the heat and pour in the wine. Allow to simmer and bubble for 2-3 minutes, until almost evaporated. Reduce the heat slightly and add the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, vegetable stock, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar and the liquid from soaking the mushrooms. Stir well and bring everything to a gentle simmer.
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Add the lentils, bay leaves and fresh thyme to the pan. Increase the heat and bring the pan to the boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pan with a lid and cook gently for 40 minutes. Remove the lid and continue to simmer for a further 15-20 minutes, adding more stock if needed, until reduced and glossy. Stir through the roasted mushrooms and remove from the heat.
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Meanwhile, bring the milk, 1L of water and a good pinch of salt to a boil in another large saucepan. Reduce the heat to low and whisking as you go, gradually add the polenta. Simmer the polenta, whisking regularly, for 25-35 minutes, or until it’s thick, fluffy and no longer sticks to the bottom of the pan (if you are using a quick cook polenta, it will only need 4-5 minutes of cooking, so you can make it right before serving). Remove from the heat and stir through the butter and parmesan until melted. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed.
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Heat a glug of olive oil in another frying pan over a medium-high heat. Once hot, add the sage leaves and fry for 20-30 seconds, until nice and crisp.
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Plate the polenta up between bowls and soon over the mushroom ragu. Serve topped with the crispy sage, a grating of parmesan and a good crack of black pepper.
Love this Mushroom Ragu & Creamy Polenta recipe? Try my other dinner recipes here.
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