Mushroom Ragu with Creamy Polenta

Ingredients

Scaled for your household (4 portions) · original serves 4

• Spreadable butter100 g
  Original recipe breakdown · used in multiple steps

  • 80 g (about 1/3 cup) Western Star Spreadable Original Soft
  • 20 g (1 tablespoon) Western Star Spreadable Original Soft
• Leek1
  pale section only, washed and sliced
• Garlic cloves2
  crushed
• Field mushrooms200 g
  sliced
• Mushrooms400 g
  Original recipe breakdown · used in multiple steps

  • 200 g Swiss brown mushrooms, sliced — sliced
  • 200 g cup button mushrooms, sliced — sliced
• Fresh thyme6 sprig
• Vegetable stock685 ml
  Original recipe breakdown · used in multiple steps

  • 185 ml (¾ cup) vegetable stock
  • 500 ml (2 cups) vegetable stock
• Cornstarch2 tsp
• Baby spinach50 g
• Flat-leaf parsley (optional)to taste
  to serve
• Milk500 ml
• Instant polenta⅔ cup
• Parmesan½ cup
  plus extra for serving
• Saltto taste
• Black pepperto taste

Method

1. 1

   Melt 80 g butter spread in a frying pan. Soften leek and garlic for 2–3 minutes, add all three mushroom portions and thyme, and cook for 5 minutes.

2. 2

   Mix the 185 ml vegetable stock with cornflour, add to the mushrooms and cook for 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened. Fold in spinach, remove from the heat and season.

3. 3

   Bring milk and the remaining 500 ml stock to a boil in a separate saucepan. Lower to medium heat and gradually stir in polenta. Stir continuously for about 3 minutes until smooth and tender. Remove from the heat and mix in 20 g butter spread and parmesan. Serve topped with mushroom ragu, parsley and extra parmesan.