Rainy days make me want to eat, oh heck, all I think about is eating. This blogging venture can prove to be a challenge with all the food I am making plus the colder shorter days - yikes, I better start blogging about lemon, sea salt and water. Anyways, our sea salt harvester, Matt took a much needed break away (it’s been a good 2 and a half years of non-stop small biz) to take a road trip with his brother, father, and best friend to visit his grandfathers’ alma mater and see a football game at the University of Notre Dame. It was 5 days of good times with the ‘boys’ and major food enjoying. ;) Matt just returned to Newport on Monday and I had made a comforting corn chowder and next up was this dish ‘Polenta Portobellos’ from Erin Gleeson’s Forest Feast cookbook. When people ask about possible recipes to go along with our sea salt I like to have a few I can mention for each season and this is definitely a keeper. The aroma of the portobello mushrooms with olive oil and minced garlic with our rosemary and thyme sea salt roasting in the oven was fantastic. Scroll to the end of the post for the recipe and if you prepare it let me know what you think….Bon Appetit and stay salty!

I will leave you with a few photos from Matt’s weekend away. Can you tell he had fun??

Tami

Polenta Stuffed Portobellos
(from The Forest Feast)

4 portobello mushrooms ( I used 2)

Minced clove or 2 of garlic
1 cup polenta
1/4 cup goat cheese
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 pound brussels sprouts
1 red onion
Olive oil or butter
Salt and pepper

Heat oven to 375˚. Put portobellos on a baking sheet. Remove stems and discard. Drizzle each with olive oil and sprinkle with Rosemary and Thyme sea salt. Bake for 20 minutes, until tender.

While portobellos are cooking, thinly slice brussels sprouts and red onion. Heat a skillet to medium, add a drizzle of olive oil and/or a tbsp. of butter and cook slowly to caramelize, about 15 minutes (turn down to medium low if veggies are browning too quickly, you want them nice and soft, not scorched).

Meanwhile, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add a dash of salt. Add polenta and stir. Turn heat down and simmer for 10-15 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat. Add 2 tbsp. butter and goat cheese. Stir well until everything is melted. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Assemble mushrooms. Start with the mushroom, add a big spoonful or two of polenta and top with vegetables.

Finish with a sprinkle of Rosemary and Thyme sea salt.