This yellow grain flour is a type of cornmeal made from ground maize. It can be used for savoury dishes as shown here, but it can be used as a substitute for flour in cakes too.
For 4 to 6 as a light meal with some greens or as a side dish with, for example, grilled steak or bacon and greens.
50g butter
250g mixed seasonal mushrooms, cleaned with a damp cloth and finely sliced
The leaves from a small bunch of thyme
100g fine polenta
500ml water
100g Montgomery’s Cheddar or similar cheese, grated
100g Colston Basset Stilton or similar cheese, crumbled
1 tsp salt flakes if needed
About half of a nutmeg, finely grated
Melt the butter in a heavy based pan over a low heat. Add the mushrooms and thyme leaves and let them cook through – about 15 minutes but keep an eye on them whilst you make the polenta.
Preheat the oven to 200c and lightly oil a medium sized baking tray.
Put the water in a saucepan and bring it to the boil.
Lower the heat and use one hand to slowly add the polenta, bit by bit, in a steady stream while stirring with a spoon in the other hand. The mixture needs to be smooth, no lumps. Be careful as it will bubble and spit as it thickens – you might find it easier to move the pan from the heat to stir it thoroughly from time to time.
Once you have added all the polenta, keep stirring until the mixture is fairly thick, then add the cheeses and continue stirring until they have melted into the polenta.
Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool a little before tasting it and adding some salt if necessary and as much grated nutmeg as you like.
Spoon the polenta mixture onto the lightly oiled baking tray and level it into a roughly rectangular or circular shape (it should be about 2cm thick) and pile the cooked mushrooms and thyme on top.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until the polenta and the mushrooms are piping hot.
Cut into slices and serve on warm plates.
See also Chanterelle Mushrooms
