Creamy Polenta with Sautéed Mushrooms and Thyme

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the ingredients

   Clean the mushrooms and slice them about 5 mm thick. Finely chop the garlic. Grate the Parmesan and strip the thyme leaves from the stems.

   
2. 2

   Start cooking the polenta

   In a saucepan, bring the water, milk, and 3.5 g of salt almost to a boil. Whisk continuously as you slowly sprinkle in the polenta to prevent lumps from forming.

   
3. 3

   Cook the polenta until smooth

   Reduce the heat to low and cook the polenta for 20 to 25 minutes. Stir frequently with a wooden spoon, especially along the bottom of the saucepan; it should be soft and creamy, with no hard graininess.

   
4. 4

   Sauté the mushrooms

   While the polenta cooks, heat the olive oil in a wide frying pan. Add the mushrooms in a single layer and leave them undisturbed for 3 minutes so they can brown. Then stir and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, until the liquid has evaporated and the edges are browned. Add the garlic, thyme, remaining 1.5 g of salt, and pepper; stir for 1 more minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice.

   
5. 5

   Finish and serve

   Stir the butter and Parmesan into the cooked polenta until fully melted. Divide among four warm plates and top with the sautéed mushrooms. Serve immediately while the polenta is creamy.