Creamy Polenta with Balsamic Mushrooms Green Beans and Asparagus

Prepare Ingredients:

Preheat oven to 180°C. Wash the fresh produce. Trim the mushrooms stems, and place on an oven tray gill side up with halved tomatoes. Mince garlic, and in a small bowl mix with 1 Tbs olive oil, balsamic vinegar and thyme leaves you only need a large pinch, reserving remainder. Brush over mushrooms and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and some sprigs of thyme. Cook for 20 minutes, until mushrooms are tender.

Prepare Green Vegetables:

Trim the ends off both the beans, and woody ends of the asparagus. Set aside for blanching in step 5.

Boil Stock:

With 10 minutes remaining on mushrooms cooking time, bring chicken stock with ½ cup of water and milk to the boil. Put another medium sized pot of water on to boil for blanching the greens.

Cook Polenta:

Once stock and milk have come to the boil, reduce heat down low and add polenta in a steady stream, stirring continually. Cook polenta for 6 minutes, stirring regularly. As the polenta thickens add butter and parmesan reserving some for garnish to finish.

Blanche Greens:

While polenta is cooking, blanche beans and asparagus in boiling water for 3 minutes or to desired degree of doneness. Drain well and drizzle with a little oil, season with salt and pepper.

You Plate It:

Divide polenta, blanched greens, balsamic mushrooms and tomatoes between plates. Garnish with remaining thyme. Enjoy!