Mushroom Stroganoff with Truffle Polenta

If you told me I could make a tasty mushroom stroganoff without the meat, I wouldn’t have believed you. But then I gave it a go myself and honestly, I didn’t even miss the beef. If you’re veggie or vegan, there are some simple swaps you can make using things like Vegemite, alternative butters and ‘creams’. The stroganoff itself is a surprisingly light dish, so for a healthier alternative you could serve it with couscous or rice…but polenta really does make a deliciously indulgent treat – perfect with a glass of red wine too.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
125g shiitake mushrooms
250g chestnut mushrooms
100g dried porcini mushrooms
200g portobello mushrooms (I like Sainsbury’s mini ones)
1 x chopped onion
3 x finely diced garlic cloves
100ml red wine
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
1 heaped tsp Dijon mustard
Fresh parsley
2 tbsp creme fresh
Salt & pepper
100g polenta
50g butter
50g grated parmesan + some for serving
1 tbsp truffle oil (optional)
1 tsp olive oil

Optional sides:
Spring garlic greens & roasted rainbow carrots

Method:

1. Begin by soaking your porcini mushrooms in 250ml of boiling water and then prepare all your ingredients: finely chop the onion and garlic, and slice the mushrooms
2. Now add your onion to the pan with oil and sweat for a couple of minutes, before adding the garlic
3. After a minute or so, add your chopped mushrooms (not the porcini mushrooms) and turn up the heat (this helps to evaporate any water they release, quickly)
4. Add your red wine and let this cook down for 1 minute, before adding the porcini mushrooms, along with their water, which should be a dark colour, deep with umami flavour
5. Add your English mustard, a good slug of Worcester sauce and season to taste
6. Leave this to reduce (lid off) for roughly 10-15 minutes – add more water if required
7. While this reduces, measure out your polenta – it’s best to use a cup for this, as it works to a 1:4 ratio: one part polenta, the other four water
8. Add 1 cup of polenta to a pot containing 4 cups of boiling water and stir (it will soak up the mixture very quickly)
9. Continue to simmer for up to 10 minutes and finish by adding in the grated parmesan, butter and truffle oil, then leave on a very low heat while you finish the stroganoff
10. The mushrooms should be reduced and there should be just enough liquid left for a nice sauce
11. Add your 2 tbsp of creme fresh to the mixture, as well as a handful of chopped parsley and combine (if it’s not thick enough, you can melt some butter in a pan with a little flour and add this to the mix, or add in some corn flour)
12. Serve your stroganoff with the polenta, a little extra fresh parsley and grated parmesan – enjoy!
13. If you want to serve it with sides, I recommend roasting some carrots or wilting some spring greens in a pan, with minced garlic and butter