Cooking the onions and mushrooms- Cut the onion in half. Thinly slice one half and finely chop the rest. In a non-stick deep saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the sliced onions. Cook until nicely golden and tender (it may take up to 5 minutes). Add the garlic. Cook for a minute, then add the mushrooms. Sauté until softened. Transfer to a plate, leaving as much oil as possible in the saucepan. Let cool. Reserve a few mushroom slices and onions and coarsely chop the rest. Set aside.
Making polenta-
In a food processor, combine the carrot, celery and half onion. Pulse until very finely chopped.
In the same saucepan, add 3 cups water. Bring to a boil, then add the chopped carrot, celery and onion mixture. After bringing the liquid back to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low and cook for about 15 minutes. Using a strainer, remove and discard as much of the solids as possible, leaving the equivalent of 1-2 tablespoons in the saucepan.
Bring the liquid back to a boil, then immediately whisk in the corn meal, stirring constantly for about 2-3 minutes. Add 1 cup milk, then lower the heat. Let cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally and checking the liquid, periodically adding ½ to 1 cup of warm cream as soon as the liquid has been absorbed. If the polenta is too thick, add more milk (I add ½ cup warm milk toward the end).
Assembly time-
When the polenta is the right consistency, add gorgonzola cheese. Stir well and finally add the chopped mushrooms and onions and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Mix until well combined. Let sit for about 5 minutes.
Garnish with the reserved mushrooms and onions.
Bon appétit!
Tips
Frying the garlic prior to adding the corn meal to the boiling liquid gives a nice fragrance to the dish.
The quantity of liquid may vary depending on the heat of the stove and how long you're cooking the polenta. At the end, I let it simmer uncovered, sometimes adding another ¼ cup of warm liquid at a time until I achieve the right consistency and level of doneness. The key is to pour the liquid incrementally and never let the dish dry out, or the polenta will burn at the bottom.
I used Quaker brand yellow corn meal.
You could also save time by replacing the water and vegetables with 2 to 2½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth.
Originally Submitted
10/18/2012
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