Roast Mushroom Ragu with Polenta & Fried Sage
Earthy mushroom ragu made with a medley of roasted mushrooms, served over creamy polenta. Topped with crispy fried sage leaves, this dish offers a comforting blend of deep umami flavors and vibrant herbal notes.
Yield: All recipes serve 2 people
Chef Notes: Double the vegetable medley and utilize for both the pork chop and mushroom ragu this week!
Reminder! Season with salt as you cook.
Mushrooms tips: Use any combo of mushrooms for this recipe… shiitake, crimini, maitake, beech, oysters are all great.
Gently wipe mushrooms with a damp paper towel or soft brush to remove dirt. Do not soak them in water!
Mushrooms are 90% water! This means they will shrink quite a bit as they cook.
Components
Mushroom Ragu
Polenta
Fried Sage
Roasted Vegetables
Parmesan
Mise
Knife Work: Cut the ragu vegetables into a small dice and roasting vegetables into large bite sized pieces. Clean and trim the mushrooms into medium pieces. Trim sage leaves off the heart stems.
Make the Mushroom Ragu: In a large pan, sauté the vegetables▸ until they begin to soften and char. Add the mushrooms and cook on medium heat to release their water and caramelize in the pan: 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally to promote even cooking and prevent scorching. After the mushrooms have cooked down, deglaze the pan with the white wine, scraping to release any fond from the bottom of the pan. Add the thyme, bay leaf and stock and simmer until the ragu thickens. Adjust seasoning and remove bay leaf/thyme stems before serving.
Make Polenta: While the mushrooms are cooking down, bring 4 cups of lightly salted water to a boil in a large saucepan. Slowly add the polenta to the boiling water while whisking constantly to prevent the polenta from clumping. Once the polenta has been incorporated and no lumps have formed, turn down the heat and gently simmer, stirring occasionally, until the polenta has become tender and smooth: 15-30 minutes depending on the type of polenta. Once the polenta has cooked, whisk in the butter, taste and adjust seasoning.
Roast Vegetables▸ Season the roasting vegetables with your preferred oil and salt! Roast anywhere between 425 degrees and 550 degrees until toothsome and charred.
Fry Sage Leaves: While polenta is cooking and veggies are roasting, heat a sauté pan over medium and me…
Grate the Parm.
Finish
Portion polenta into 2 large bowls.
Top with the mushroom ragu and roasted vegetables.
Garnish with freshly grated parmesan and enjoy!