Italian · side

Polenta e Funghi

Name: Polenta e Funghi
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 cup coarse yellow polenta (cornmeal); 4 cups water; 1 tsp salt; 2 tbsp unsalted butter; 1 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated; 12 oz mixed wild mushrooms (porcini; chanterelles), sliced; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 shallot, minced; 1/4 cup dry white wine; 3 sprigs fresh thyme; 2 tbsp olive oil

Polenta e Funghi reads umami 6.1, richness 5.4 and salinity 4.8 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Italian side, about 1 hr 15 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 6.9 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 3.2 / 10
Sour & Bright — 3.5 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 4.4 / 10
Rich & Fat — 6.0 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 4.3 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 6.1 · Richness 5.4 · Salinity 4.8 · Earthy 4.2 · Allium 4.0 · Funk & Ferment 2.8 · Fruity 2.7 · Sourness 2.7 · Citrus 2.7 · Nutty 1.9 · Herbaceous 1.8 · Floral 1.7 · Sweetness 1.7 · Bitterness 1.1 · Warm Spice 0.8

What's in it (11)

1 cup coarse yellow polenta (cornmeal)
4 cups water
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
12 oz mixed wild mushrooms (porcini; chanterelles), sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tbsp olive oil

Time & effort: about 1 hr 15 min (30 min active) · effort: medium

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 71.8 kcal, 2 g protein, 2 g fat, 13.4 g carbs

Dietary: Vegetarian · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (2 steps)

Boil salted water and stream in polenta, stirring constantly for 40-45 minutes until thick and pulling from the sides; finish with butter and Parmigiano. Sauté sliced mushrooms in olive oil with garlic and shallot, deglaze with wine, and add thyme.
Serve the creamy polenta in mounds topped with the savory mushroom ragù.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Creamy Mushroom and Thyme Orzo — Italian-American
Wild Mushroom Risotto — Italian
Porcini Dusted Chicken Scaloppine — Mediterranean
Skillet Chicken and Wild Mushroom Risotto — Italian-American
Skillet Chicken Thighs with Mushroom Gravy — American

Keep reading: what umami, richness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.