Do you ever feel fancy pants? Sometimes I do. Like if I go to the grocery store wearing something besides scrubs. If I rent a foreign film or wear shoes out other than boots or garden clogs. Brandishing a statement necklace (I have but one and you can bet I brandish it). Sometimes classy food can make me feel pretty snooty too. Today's recipe is one classy dish indeed and definitely raised the stylish-food bar in our home. If you're in the need to impress guests or just want to sophisticate your palate (mine is très sophistiqué...okay, maybe not), then this is the perfect dinner for you. Honestly though, it's pretty good on a Friday night in yoga pants too.
Sweet sage cashew cream blends with silky polenta as a fluffy bed for perfectly caramelized balsamic onions and portobello mushrooms.
Creamy Sage Polenta + Caramelized Onions and Portobellos
Serves 3
- Onions & Portobellos:
- 1 Tbsp. vegan butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
- 1 large portobello cap, halved and sliced
- pinch of salt
- pinch of ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- Cashew Cream:
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 fresh sage leaves (1 Tbsp. chopped)
- 1/2 Tbsp. agave nectar
- pinch of salt
- Polenta:
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1/2 cup dry polenta
- pinch of salt
Notes: Careful not to let the onions burn while caramelizing. Low heat is required, don't try to rush it. It should take about 30-40 minutes.
Begin by soaking the 1 cup of cashews in fresh water (enough to cover) in a medium bowl.
To cook the onion and mushroom, melt the butter in a large frying pan or cast iron pan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and saute for about 10 minutes, then add the portobello. Saute for an additional 20-30 minutes, until the onions are significantly shrunken and the onions have caramelized to a dark brown. Brown bits will accumulate on the bottom of the pan (this is called "fond"), but when the pan is deglazed it will come right off. However, if think it be starting to burn remove the pan from heat. Caramelizing takes a long time, so don't rush it.
When they appear caramelized, stir in a pinch of salt and black pepper. Deglaze the pan with the balsamic vinegar, scraping up the fond.
Meanwhile, drain and rinse the cashews then add them to a blender. Add in the remaining cashew cream ingredients. Blend on high until very smooth and set aside.
In a large saucepan, bring the water for the polenta to a boil over high heat. Add in the polenta while stirring as well as a pinch of salt. Continue to stir very often until smooth and all the water has evaporated, about 10 minutes.
Add the cashew cream to the polenta and stir well to incorporate until clump-free.
Serve hot as a bed of polenta, topped with the caramelized onions and portobellos.
Garnish with fresh sage.
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/50794357" params="color=66baab&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true" width="100%" height="166" iframe="true" /]
German Word of The Day: Mushroom --> Pilz (pronounced: pills)
Good Deed of The Day: Today, I encourage you to simply wish yourself well, wish yourself happiness, and wish yourself free from suffering. That 's what I learned in my meditation today!
[yumprint-recipe id='114']
Coat a tart or pie dish with a nonstick cooking spray. Carefully place one sheet of phyllo dough into the dish and press in. Brush the top with vegan butter. Continue with remaining sheets, layering them, alternatively along the edge. Be sure not to let the sheets dry out excessively while assembling the tart or else they will just break when folded. You'll want to work fairly quickly. Phyllo dough is pretty persnickety. 
