WET POLENTA WITH MUSHROOMS, PARMESAN AND TRUFFLES

Polenta is the ultimate comfort food, laden with butter and cheese.  I have simply adorned it with mushrooms, more cheese and of course slithers of fresh fragrant truffles.  

Serves 4

Ingredients

Polenta 

250g of polenta

1litre water

200ml of full fat milk

80g parmesan cheese, finely grated, plus extra for serving

80g of unsalted butter or truffle butter, softened, 

1 tsp salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Mushrooms

500g mushrooms, cut into thick slices or quarters

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp butter 

4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced thinly

¼ tsp fresh thyme leaves

Squeeze lemon juice

Salt and cracked pepper

1 truffle (15-20g) shaved thinly

Method

Begin by making the polenta.  

Bring the water to the boil and add plenty of salt. Whisk in the polenta and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring often to break up any lumps. If the polenta becomes too thick and starts sticking, add a little more water

Meanwhile prepare the mushrooms by placing a saucepan over moderate heat olive oil. Add mushrooms and let sit, without stirring, until browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and cook until golden in colour. Season with salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice.

Go back to the polenta and stir in the milk, then add the cheese and butter and continue stirring until melted.  Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

To serve, ladle the polenta onto the plates or one large one and top with the garlicky mushrooms, shave over more parmesan cheese and finish with shaving fresh slivers of truffle all over the mushrooms and polenta.

Enjoy immediately.