Sometimes people seem so perplexed when they find out I’m a vegetarian. “What do you eat?” I get asked all the time, and the answer seems so obvious to me – no animals. It is a personal decision I made when I was a child, and it stuck, but it has never been a judgement of other’s choices.
For me, not eating meat comes naturally, and I never struggle with what to cook or eat. My husband is not a vegetarian, but he loves the food that I make and now only eats meat when we go out to dinner. He seemed surprised when we were first living together and he found he didn’t miss meat at all, save for the occasional 5 Guys burger.
We are big on easy healthy meals of comforting soups, interesting salads, light pasta dishes, and lots of Mexican food. This polenta with mushrooms recipe is one of our favorite hearty dishes that we love in the winter. It is substantial and delicious, and when served with a nice salad, it makes for a perfect dinner.
Sautéed Shiitake Mushrooms with Polenta
- ¾ pound shiitaki mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: 1 tablespoon butter
- Heat olive oil in a sauté pan.
- Once the oil is hot, add the mushrooms and sauté a few minutes on medium-high heat until they begin to brown a little.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the shallots and garlic.
- Cook until the shallots are translucent and then add the butter and season with salt and pepper.
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup polenta or yellow cornmeal
- 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped, plus extra for garnish
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for sprinkling
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Bring water and salt to a boil in a heavy saucepan.
- Add polenta in a thin stream, stirring with a wire whisk.
- Cook over moderate heat, stirring for 2 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer for 10-15 minutes, giving it a good stir every 5 minutes or so.
- Taste polenta for doneness. It should be soft with no hard grit. If necessary, add more water and continue to cook.
- When polenta is tender, remove from heat, stir in the cheese, parsley, and butter/olive oil.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Place polenta in a shallow bowl or spread on a plate, spoon mushrooms on the center of the polenta, and sprinkle with some chopped parsley and grated Parmesan cheese.
Enjoy!
