Mushrooms & Grilled Polenta Mini Cakes

Going through some old photos, I stumbled upon a series of snapshots I had taken last year while cooking dinner for my dad’s birthday. I never shared this particular recipe with you and it’s one of my absolute favorite appetizers. Crispy rounds of fried polenta topped with a slightly spicy, lemony aioli and thin slices of grilled mushrooms. Add a dusting of parmigiano-reggiano and an edible flower (I used flowers from the arugula we had growing in the backyard at the time) and you have a perfect bite.

Ingredients

8-10 ounces mushrooms (choose white button or cremini for this recipe)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
2 cloves finely chopped garlic
Salt and pepper
Splash of dry white white wine
1 tablespoon heavy cream (optional)

4 tablespoons of mayonnaise (you can make your own if you wish)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2/5 cups milk or water (I recommend milk, you can use skim, regular or soy)
1 sprig of rosemary
2 garlic cloves
Salt and pepper (use white pepper if you have it)
1 cup polenta
2-4 tablespoons olive oil

A hearty chunk of parmigiano-reggiano
Arugula flowers (these are ideal as they add a subtle bitter flavor, but they are hard to find…you can also use a dusting of coarsley chopped parsley, microgreens or chives)

Polenta

Line a shallow 8-inch square cake pan with parchment paper. Cut an additional piece of paper of the same size. Place the milk, rosemary and garlic cloves in a medium pot and heat over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the rosemary and garlic cloves from the milk and turn the heat to low. Add the polenta in a slow stream and whisk vigorously. Cook for roughly 20 minutes (it may not take that long), until smooth.

Pour the polenta into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer, about 1/2 inch thick. Cover with the additional piece of parchment and refrigerate for an hour, until sufficiently hardened.

Cook the mushrooms and prepare the aioli before the next step.

Remove polenta from the fridge and place on a large, flat surface, like a wooden cutting board. Cut the chilled polenta into rounds using a small, round cookie cutter. If you don’t have this (and you probably do not), you can use anything round of the appropriate size. I used the bottom tin portion of a votive candle. You can also simply cut the polenta into squares using a knife.

Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan until just smoking. Add the rounds/squares of polenta to the pan in batches, frying until lightly browned on each side (about 4-5 minutes total). Remove from the oil and place on a plate lined with paper towels.

Mushrooms

Slice the mushrooms as finely as possible using a sharp knife (a mandolin isn’t necessary). Finely chop two cloves of garlic and one tablespoon of parsley. Heat a large saute pan over high heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When the oil just begins to smoke, add the mushrooms. Give the pan a swirl to coat the mushrooms with oil, and allow to sit for a few moments. You must allow the mushrooms to release their water, but if they seem too dry, you can add a bit more oil or a splash of wine. Add the garlic, stir and allow to sit again. When the mushrooms have released the majority of their water, salt and pepper to taste and add a tablespoon of heavy cream, if you desire. Stir and add parsley. Remove from the heat and reserve.

Aioli

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, lemon juice and cayenne pepper. Reserve.

Assembly

Take each polenta round and add a dollop of aioli. Top with about a tablespoon of mushrooms. Add a dusting of cheese and top with a garnish of your choice. Present on a large platter.