Baked cheese polenta with fried white mushrooms

It is not uncommon for our thoughts to drift off during a shopping trip before we realise that we have been prompted to buy certain colours or shapes. It’s as if our body is telling us, “It’s time to bring home something green or something red.” Do you know this experience? ⠀

At the same time, our wandering thoughts can be the source of delicious creations. Like this oven polenta topped with baked cheese and served on corn salad, roasted mushrooms and a super delicious beetroot sauce.

To finish, we spice up the sauce with our latest cocoa BEET me up! The powder is not only great for making a cup of hot chocolate or spicing up your sweet treats, but also rounds off savoury dishes and sauces

It’s basically the all-round ingredient for your Sunday dinner.

Polenta ingredients (for 3-4 people)

  • 50 g Fontina della valle d’aosta (or a strong alpine cheese)
  • 70 g Taleggio
  • 250 ml vegetable stock
  • 250 ml milk
  • 125 g instant polenta
  • 30 g butter
  • 1 dash salt

Mushroom ingredients

  • 1 sweet onion (approx. 150 g)
  • 200 g white mushrooms
  • 3-4 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt Pepper

Ingredients for the sauce

  • 1 large beetroot (approx. 190 g)
  • 3 tbsp beetroot cooking water
  • 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbsp walnut oil
  • 2 tsp Becks Cocoa™ BEET me up! Luxury Cocoa
  • 3 tbsp. olive oil
  • Salt Pepper

Other ingredients

  • 80-100 g corn salad (mâche)
  • 1 pomegranate
 Instructions:

Peel the beetroot, cut into quarters and cook until soft, about 30 minutes. Do not drain the cooking water. Cut the soft beetroot into rough cubes.

Cut the skin off the fontina and cut the cheese into 1 cm cubes. Put the stock and milk in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Slowly pour the polenta into the liquid while stirring. Turn down the heat and cook polenta, stirring constantly. The cornmeal is ready when it comes off the side of the pot (after about 5 minutes) while it is still firm. If you find that the bottom of the polenta is too dry, add additional milk. Once cooked, fold in smooth flavouring with salt and butter and fontina until melted.

Preheat the oven grill to 200 ° C. Cut the Taleggio into strips. Place the polenta in an ovenproof roasting tin and spread the Taleggio over the polenta. Slide the roasting tin onto the top rack under the grill and bake until the cheese melts and turns a light golden colour. This takes about 5 minutes or a little longer in some ovens.

Peel the skin off the onion and slice thinly. Scrub and slice the mushrooms. Heat the olive oil in a pan and fry the onion and mushroom slices. Turn the heat down and fry for about 5 minutes until they are soft and golden brown. Turn the slices over occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To prepare the sauce, put all the ingredients (including Becks cocoa™ BEET me up!) In a blender and puree the beetroot to a smooth sauce.

Before serving, pick the corn salad and arrange on the plates. Top with sauce, cut the polenta and arrange on top of the salad. Spread the mushroom and onion slices and sprinkle with additional sauce if you like. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and some beetroot! Cocoa powder before serving warm.

(Image and text: @klara_and_ida)