This richly flavorful, umami-packed mushroom bourguignon is surprisingly easy to make, thanks to a couple of genius polenta hacks. First, whisk your polenta with Pacific Foods® Organic Low Sodium Vegetable Broth to impart extra savoriness. Then, bake it in a preheated oven until the liquid is absorbed — this eliminates the need to keep stirring in order to prevent burning, making an otherwise fairly involved dish practically effortless.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Prepare the Mushrooms: Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large high-sided skillet over medium-high. Add mushrooms and arrange in an even layer; cook, undisturbed, until starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Stir and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until browned all over, about 2 more minutes. Transfer to a bowl; do not wipe the skillet clean.
Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet over medium and stir in pearl onions and carrots; cook, stirring often, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in shallots and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until softened and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until carrots are coated in tomato paste and paste has darkened in color, about 2 minutes.
Stir in wine and thyme sprigs; cook, stirring occasionally, until wine has reduced and thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1 1/2 cups Pacific Foods® Organic Low Sodium Vegetable Broth, tamari, and bay leaf; bring to a boil over medium-high. Reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a simmer, partially cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender and sauce has reduced, about 35 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the polenta: Whisk together 4 cups broth, polenta, and, pepper in a 2-quart (8x8 or 7x11 in) baking dish. Season with kosher salt. Bake in a preheated oven until water is absorbed and polenta has thickened, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer the baking dish to a cooling rack. Whisk in cream, Parmesan, and 2 tablespoons butter until butter and cheese have melted and polenta is smooth.
Whisk together cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water until smooth; stir into simmering mushrooms and continue to simmer, stirring once or twice, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1 tablespoon butter and miso until smooth and melted, about 1 minute. Ladle mushroom mixture over polenta and serve immediately.
For a lighter version of this dish, try swapping the heavy cream for half-and-half.
To reheat the polenta, add a splash of water, Pacific Foods® Organic Low Sodium Vegetable Broth, or milk and reheat in a skillet or the microwave.
Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
To switch things up, try making this with a mix of mushrooms (shitake, oyster, and maitake would be great), or serve with mashed potatoes instead of polenta.
This nutritional information refers to each serving of the entire recipe and not just the products used as ingredients.