Braised Porcini Mushrooms with Creamy Polenta & Truffle Oil

Step 1 of 7: Prepare the porcini mushrooms

 

Carefully clean the porcini mushrooms with a brush or a slightly damp piece of kitchen paper. As they absorb water quickly, avoid washing them under running water if possible – this helps preserve their intense aroma and firm texture. Leave small porcini mushrooms whole; depending on size, halve or quarter the larger ones so they cook evenly. Set aside a few particularly attractive small porcini mushrooms or even halves for plating later. Finely dice the shallots, chop the garlic, and pluck the thyme leaves from the sprigs.

Step 2 of 7: Sear the porcini mushrooms

 

Heat a stainless steel pan over medium heat until hot, then add the olive oil first. Place the porcini mushrooms in the pan in batches and sear for about 2 minutes without moving them. As soon as they release easily from the bottom of the pan, carefully turn them over. Now add the butter and cook the porcini mushrooms for another 1–2 minutes until golden brown and lightly roasted in aroma. Transfer each finished batch of mushrooms to a plate and sear the next batch. Let the pan heat up again briefly between batches. Set aside the porcini mushrooms intended for plating after searing.

Step 3 of 7: Build the flavours

 

Return all remaining porcini mushrooms to the pan. Add the shallots, garlic, and thyme leaves and cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Only now lightly salt the mushrooms so they retain their moisture as long as possible and brown nicely. Deglaze with white wine and let the liquid reduce almost completely. This concentrates the flavours and creates the base for the creamy sauce.

Step 4 of 7: Finish the sauce

 

Pour in the vegetable stock and let everything simmer gently for 4–5 minutes so the porcini mushrooms absorb the flavour of the stock. Then stir in the cream and let the sauce reduce slightly over low heat. It should lightly coat the porcini mushrooms without being too runny. Season with freshly ground pepper and, if needed, a little salt. Then keep the porcini mushrooms warm over the lowest heat while you prepare the polenta. Tip: If you want to intensify the mushroom flavour even more, simmer a small amount of finely chopped dried porcini mushrooms in the stock.

Step 5 of 7: Prepare the polenta

 

While the porcini mushrooms are being kept warm, bring the vegetable stock to the boil in a saucepan. Slowly sprinkle in the instant polenta while stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Then cook over low heat according to the package instructions, stirring regularly so the polenta stays creamy and does not stick to the bottom of the pan.

Step 6 of 7: Refine the polenta

 

Stir the butter and freshly grated Parmesan into the finished polenta until both are fully melted and the polenta becomes especially creamy. If it becomes a little too thick, simply stir in a splash of hot vegetable stock or milk until the desired consistency is reached.

Step 7 of 7: Plate and serve

 

Spoon the creamy polenta into the centre of prewarmed plates and spread it slightly with the back of a spoon. Arrange the braised porcini mushrooms on top together with the aromatic sauce. Then loosely place the reserved golden-brown seared porcini mushrooms on top. Finish with a few small parsley leaves, freshly shaved Parmesan, and a few drops of high-quality truffle oil. Add the truffle oil only just before serving so its delicate aroma is preserved and it subtly enhances the porcini mushrooms.