If our wintertime culinary experience is characterized by multi-day baking projects, long slow roasts of hearty meats and root vegetables, and stick to your ribs simmering sauces of an entire pantry of ingredients, then springtime cooking is the opposite. Spring meals should be pulled together on the fly and utilize as few ingredients as possible. Sunny days spontaneously spent almost entirely outdoors align with the availability of quick cooking produce and a desire to eat more delicately. You can get a meal on your plate in less than 30 minutes calculated from the moment you enter your kitchen to the time you plate it up.
In the spirit of spring cooking, I’m not going to draw this out. Let’s cut the preamble and get straight to the recipe. In order to get this meal done in about 25 minutes, you will cook the polenta alongside the braised mushrooms. There’s no assumption that you prepare a mis en place. For a truly quick meal, all of the vegetable washing, chopping and prep, can be done while you are cooking, maximizing your time in the kitchen. Chop the mushrooms while you bring the broth and milk to a boil. Mince the garlic while sautéing the mushrooms. Wash and prep peas while your polenta finishes cooking.
If you’d like, you can vary the vegetables in the braise. However, choose quick cooking spring vegetables with minimal prep required, like asparagus or greens.
What You Need:
For the polenta:
2 cups vegetable broth* or water
1 cup whole milk
1 cup coarse ground yellow corn polenta
¾ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons creme fraiche, optional and recommended
You could buy fresh English peas already shelled but for extended freshness and flavor, shell them yourself. It’s satisfying and can be done seated while you enjoy a glass of wine with a friend or while watching TV. If the shells are tender enough, keep them intact or just open up the pod before steaming gently.
For the mushrooms and peas:
2-3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
14 ounces mixed mushrooms - cremini, shiitake, hen of the woods, or chanterelle, woody stems removed and sliced
Kosher salt
4 cloves of garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon dried thyme, optional
Black pepper
1 cup white wine, such as Sancerre, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Gris, divided
½ cup water or vegetable broth
½ cup snap peas, sliced open or into 3/4 inch wide pieces
½ cup fresh shelled green peas or English peas
1 tablespoon fresh herbs, such as parsley, thyme, oregano, chives, or mint
What You Do:
In a medium pot, bring broth or water and milk to a boil. Slowly add the polenta while whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Whisk in the salt and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 10-15 minutes until smooth, vigorously stirring frequently (every 30-60 seconds or so). Turn off the heat. Right before serving, stir in the creme fraiche, if using.
Meanwhile, prepare the braise. Heat a large high sided skillet over medium high heat. When hot, add about 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil. Heat about 30 seconds, then add the mushrooms with a few pinches of salt. Sauté until lightly browned and softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and dried thyme with a few pinches of salt. Add black pepper to taste. Sauté until the mushrooms are browned, adding more olive oil if needed. Add ½ cup of wine and stir to scrape the bottom of the pan. Cook uncovered until the wine reduces, about 3 minutes.
Add the broth/water, snap peas and peas along with a few pinches of salt. Cover and steam for 2 minutes or until peas are tender.
Spoon the polenta on a plate. Create a crater with the back of a spoon. Arrange mushrooms and peas in the crater.
If you want more sauce, after the mushrooms and vegetables are removed from the pan, add ½ cup more wine, stir to scrape bits off the bottom of the pan and reduce to syrupy consistency. Pour over the mushrooms. Top with fresh herbs and serve immediately.
Variation: Instead of or in addition to fresh shelled peas, garnish with ¼ cup thinly sliced sun dried tomatoes.
*Tip: Use the mushroom stems to make your own mushroom stock to use in place of the vegetable broth or water. In a small saucepan, combine the stems from the mushrooms with 2 cups cold water. Bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer gently for 10-20 minutes. Strain. Discard the stems.
Variation: Instead of or in addition to fresh shelled peas, garnish with ¼ cup thinly sliced sun dried tomatoes.
Variation: Use any vegetables instead of mushrooms. Broccoli, Cauliflower, Zucchini, Onions, Asparagus are all good choices.