Taleggio Polenta with Mushrooms and Bacon
This dish comes together quickly thanks to instant polenta. Cooking the bacon in the oven ahead of time is an extra time-saver.
Ingredients
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons minced shallots about 1 small shallot
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ pound cremini mushrooms sliced
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup instant polenta
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper plus more to taste
- 4 ounces Taleggio cheese
Instructions
- ►Heat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Set a wire rack on top of baking
- sheet. Place bacon strips on wire rack and bake for 20 minutes or until bacon has rendered and crisped. Cool, roughly chop bacon, and set aside.
- ►Drizzle olive oil in a medium skillet set over medium heat. Add shallots and cook until slightly translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and stir. Add mushrooms to skillet and stir. Cook mushrooms until browned and tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- ►Bring 2 cups water, chicken stock, and butter to a boil in a large saucepan set over high heat. Slowly whisk in polenta. Stirring constantly, cook polenta until it begins to thicken, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in salt and pepper. Stir in Taleggio cheese using a wooden spoon until it melts.
- ►Plate polenta and top with chopped bacon and mushroom mixture. Serve immediately.
