Store cupboard polenta with mushrooms and borlotti beans

P1040863.jpg

This is one of those recipes that can be made purely with store cupboard ingredients. Bar one red onion and the option of parmesan everything can sit patiently at the back of a cupboard for when a rainy day (or a global pandemic) strikes. I developed this especially for London on the inside and you can find a video of me cooking it over on their Instagram too.

Serves 2 

INGREDIENTS

For the polenta

  • 750ml water

  • good pinch salt

  • 100g polenta

  • 2 tbsp olive oil

  • 30g dried mushrooms

  • 2 tbsp olive oil

  • 1 red onion finely sliced

  • 2 cloves garlic crushed

  • 1 tbsp dried oregano or any dried herb

  • 1/2 glass red wine

  • 1 tbsp flour

  • 1 cup mushroom liquid

  • 1 can borlotti beans- drained and rinsed with bean water reserved (or any canned bean) 

METHOD 

  • Soak mushrooms in a bowl for 20 mins in roughly 750ml boiling water.

  • Drain the mushrooms reserving the mushroom liquid into another bowl.

  • Rinse mushrooms again and squeeze out any liquid. Set aside.

  • Allow the mushroom liquid to rest so that the sediment sinks to the bottom then carefully fill one mugs worth (about 300ml) liquid into a clean mug/bowl.  Discard the sediment.

  • To cook the polenta. Add all the polenta ingredients to a medium sized saucepan and heat on a very low simmer for 15 mins. Stir every so often. It should be thick and creamy once cooked.

  • Whilst the polenta simmers cook your mushrooms and beans.

  • Place two tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan over a low-medium heat. Add the onion and cook gently till soft (for about 4-5 mins).

  • Once soft add the crushed garlic and dried herbs. Cook for another minute.

  • Add the mushrooms and red wine and tablespoon of flour . Cook for a minute then add half the cup of mushroom stock (you may want to add more later on).

  • Add the drained beans as well as 2 tbsp of the bean water. Cook for another 5 mins or so till the beans are cooked through. Taste to season and add more of the mushroom stock if you prefer a looser sauce.

  • To serve spoon polenta into bowls and top with the mushrooms and beans. Garnish with grated parmesan or cheese if you have it or enjoy as it is.

Mains, VegetarianAlexandra Dudley