Autumn has officially begun and we can finally see some rain in the forecast! Which means it's time to explore the earthy realm of mushrooms and herbs. Paired with smooth, cheesy polenta, each forkful of my Cheesy Polenta with Sautéed Mushrooms is a little taste of decadent, fall goodness.

Polenta, grits, porridge - whatever you want to call it - is essentially a dish made with coarsely ground cornmeal, boiled until smooth. The Italian in me calls it polenta, and since this dish definitely veers on the side of rustic Northern Italian fare, we'll go with polenta. Sometimes fried, baked, served as a base for hearty stews, or mixed with delicious cheese, polenta is an all-around staple. Strip away all of the butter and additional fixings, and you're still left with a very creamy, decadent dish.

Notes on Polenta

Polenta expands! A lot! Just a cup of uncooked polenta transforms into a side dish for 4 people. You may be surprised by how quickly it absorbs water, however, you'll need to keep stirring for the full cook time to get that super creamy consistency.

If you're having trouble finding polenta in the grocery store, coarsely ground yellow cornmeal makes a great substitute. Or check out your local Italian market to stock up on traditional polenta and some grated parmesan! I stopped by our Italian market to get a big bag of polenta so we would have enough to last a while.

*If you happen to buy instant polenta instead of regular polenta, make sure to double-check the packaging and adjust the cooking time accordingly.

Cheesy Polenta with Sautéed Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 1 cup polenta, dry

• 4 cups water, salted

• 4 ounces yellow oyster mushrooms, divided into small pieces

• 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced, stems removed

• ⅓ cup chicken broth, or white wine for cooking

• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, finely chopped

• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped

• 2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

• salt and pepper, to taste

• ¼ cup grated fontina (optional)

method

1. Bring 4 cups of salted water to a boil. Pour in the polenta, lower heat to simmer, stirring frequently for 20-25 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add parmesan and 2 tbsp butter. Set aside.

2. In a small sauté pan, over medium heat, add 2 tbsp of butter. Add the mushrooms, and sauté until golden brown.

3. Add the sliced garlic, cook for 30 seconds, then add the white wine or chicken broth to deglaze the pan, along with the oregano and thyme. Lower heat, and simmer for 3-5 minutes, until the liquid reduces. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Finish off the polenta with the sautéed mushrooms

   Optional: Set the oven to broil. Transfer the polenta to an ovenproof pan or skillet, and top with grated fontina. Broil for 3-5 minutes until the fontina is golden. Top with sautéed mushrooms and serve.

   Note: If finishing in the broiler, the polenta will not be quite as creamy.