By Kathryn Reed

I could have this dish every week. It satisfied my need for comfort food on a cold night and as well as what seems to be a never-ending mushroom craving.

The trick to polenta is you can’t leave the kitchen. It takes constant stirring.

The rest of the dish is pretty straight forward and easy. That is the wonderful thing; people will think you spent more time in the kitchen than you really did.

It’s a hearty concoction. For me, it was a meal unto itself.

Polenta with Mushroom Ragout

¼ C olive oil

1½ pounds sliced cremini or baby portabella mushrooms

1 C chopped shallots

2 T tomato paste

1 T fresh thyme

¼ C dry white wine

1½ C vegetable broth

1  tsp kosher salt, divided

¼ tsp pepper

¼ C unsalted butter

¼ C flat leaf parsley, chopped and divided

1 C polenta

2 C mixed cheddar/Monterey jack cheese

Heat a large deep frying pan over medium-high heat until a drop of water dances across its surface. Add oil and mushrooms. Cook about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and stir in shallots. Cook until mushrooms have released their liquid and shallots are tender. Stir in tomato paste and thyme. Stir in wine, and cook until it’s mostly evaporated.

Add broth, half teaspoon salt, and pepper. Simmer until sauce thickens and mushrooms are tender. Remove from heat and stir in butter and 2 tablespoons parsley.

Cook polenta according to directions. Remove from heat and add cheese.

Divide polenta into four bowls, then top with mushroom mixture, garnish with remaining parsley.