Polenta with Chanterelle Mushrooms

Sooo, I’ve dropped the ball on my blog lately. What can I say… I’m sorry! Also, it is extremely difficult to photograph all of my cooking/baking creations when I have no natural light. Unnatural lighting is food photography’s arch-nemesis.

And let’s be honest, I’ve spent most of the daylight hours during my weekends too busy nursing my hangover to stand behind my camera for an hour… But I did make you some comfort food for the chilly weather and for the days the sun never shines… and caught it on film!

There are days that I literally do not step outside into the sun. Granted, there is no sun shining… but there are times I walk into work before the sun rises and I leave after the sun sets at 4:30PM. Welcome, Winter. Pffff.

So I go home, turn on the fireplace, and make comfort food. Hearty, warm, and easy comfort food. A few weeks ago I stumbled across Chanterelle Mushrooms at the local supermarket. Typically you can find Chanterelle Mushrooms in the late summer and in the early Fall, but for some reason or another, I found them in the midst of Winter and then I bought them. Over $20 worth of mushrooms… In two leeeetle boxes. But it is Winter and I don’t care.

So I go home, again. But this time I have a supply of expensive mushrooms and no recipe in mind. I decided to keep it simple, this is my first rodeo– cheesy polenta topped with soft mushrooms sautéed in butter, olive oil, and some fresh herbs. Hearty, warm, easy, AND GLUTEN-FREE(!!!) comfort food.

If you’re feeling kind of blue this winter and you need a new comfort food recipe, this it is. Creamy, cheesy, deliciousness.

Polenta with Chanterelle Mushrooms by The Bite-Sized Baker:

1 pound fresh chanterelle mushrooms, halved lengthwise

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup polenta

3 cups chicken broth

¼ cup grated cheddar cheese

Salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a large non-stick pan over medium heat, melt butter with oil until butter begins to foam. Add mushrooms with salt and pepper, to taste, and sauté until tender about 5 minutes. Add chopped parsley, sage, and garlic and cook until fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside while preparing polenta.
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring chicken broth to boil. Slowly add polenta while continuously stirring with a wooden spoon. Continue stirring for an additional 5-6 minutes until polenta begins to thicken and just separates from the sides of the pan. Remove from heat and add grated cheese until incorporated.
3. Serve polenta in four bowls and top generously with sautéed chanterelle mushrooms.