Pork Meatballs with Mushroom and Polenta

Yields: 4 to 6 servings

Time: 30 minutes prep, 1 hour 15 minutes cooking 

INGREDIENTS:

For the polenta:  

• 3 cups whole milk 
• 3 cups water, plus more as needed  
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt  
• 1 ½ cups medium or fine ground polenta (cornmeal)  
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 
• 3 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish  
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce 

For the meatballs:  

• 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese 
• 1 cup plain breadcrumbs 
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, leaves and stems, finely chopped  
• 1/3 cup sour cream 
• 1/4 cup whole milk  
• 2 eggs 
• 1 small yellow onion, grated on the large side of a box grater   
• 2 pounds ground pork 
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt 
• 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes 
• 2 teaspoons ground fennel seeds  
• Avocado or other neutral flavored oil, for searing the meatballs  

For the mushrooms:  

• 2 pounds mixed mushrooms, like shiitake, cremini and oyster, cut or torn in 1/4” slices or pieces  
• Avocado or other neutral flavored oil  
• Kosher salt, to taste 
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste  
• 3 garlic cloves, minced 
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme 
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary 
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste 
• 1 cup dry red wine, such as cabernet sauvignon  
• 1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour 
• 2 cups low sodium vegetable broth, plus more as needed 
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar  

 PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place a large GreenPan saucepan on the stovetop over medium high heat and bring the milk, water and salt to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and while whisking constantly, gradually pour the polenta into the saucepan. Adjust the heat as needed so that the polenta is barely bubbling. Cover and cook, stirring every 5 to 10 minutes, until thickened and fully softened (the polenta shouldn’t be grainy), about half an hour. Add a bit more water while the polenta is cooking if it’s becoming very thick or is still grainy and needs to continue cooking. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, parmesan, and soy sauce until the butter and cheese are fully melted. Cover and set aside.  

2. While the polenta is cooking, make the meatballs and the mushrooms. To make the meatballs, add the parmesan, breadcrumbs, parsley, sour cream, and milk to a large mixing bowl and stir until evenly combined. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes to soften the breadcrumbs. Add the eggs, onions, pork, salt, red pepper flakes, and fennel and mix very well until all the ingredients are evenly combined. 

3. Heat a large GreenPan sauté pan on the stovetop over medium heat and pour in a teaspoon of oil. To test the seasoning on the pork mixture, take a small amount and shape it into a patty. Place the test patty in the pan and cook until browned on both sides and cooked through. Taste the cooked patty, and add more salt, red pepper flakes and fennel to the pork mixture as desired. Shape the mixture into 1” to 1 ½” meatballs, trying to keep them as close to the same size as possible, and place them on a large tray or platter.

4. Return the pan to the stovetop, again over medium heat and pour in 1 tablespoon of oil. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan, sear the meatballs for 3 to 4 minutes on each side (adding a bit more oil as needed) until deeply golden brown all over and cooked through. Transfer the cooked meatballs to a new platter and reserve. Repeat until all the meatballs are cooked. 

5. Quickly wipe clean the pan and return it to the stovetop over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add one even layer of mushrooms to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to lightly brown and any water that has released from the mushrooms has evaporated. Add a pinch of salt and pepper along with 1 to 2 teaspoons of oil and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are a deep golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the cooked mushrooms to a bowl and repeat until all the mushrooms are seared. 

6. Return all the seared mushrooms to the frypan and reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic, thyme, rosemary, and tomato paste and stir to combine. Cook, stirring regularly, for 3 to 4 minutes or until the garlic and herbs are very aromatic and the tomato paste has darkened in color. Pour in the red wine, bring to a simmer, and cook until it has reduced in volume by ¾. Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and stir to combine. Pour in the broth and adjust the heat to bring it to a heavy simmer. Cook the sauce, stirring regularly, until it has thickened nicely and can coat the back of a spoon. Lower the heat and stir in the vinegar. 

7. Transfer the cooked meatballs into the pan with the mushrooms (or heat an oven to 375 F and reheat the meatballs in the oven on an ovenproof tray). Adjust the heat until the sauce is lightly simmering, cover, and cook until the meatballs are warmed through. Uncover and remove from the heat. Adjust the sauce as needed with more broth if it has thickened too much. Taste and adjust as desired with salt, pepper, and vinegar. 

8. Reheat the polenta over medium low heat and stir in just enough water that it reaches a soft porridge like consistency – it should just hold a rounded edge when spooned onto a plate. Taste and adjust with parmesan cheese and soy sauce as desired. Serve the polenta on a large plate or shallow bowl with a nice pile of meatballs and mushrooms on top, and sauce spooned around. Garnish with more parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

TIPS:

For a quicker but still delicious version of this recipe, save some time make this dish with your favorite premade meatballs from the market!  By cooking the polenta and mushrooms yourself, you’ll still have a delicious homecooked meal, but ready in a much shorter time!  

To really develop flavors in the mushrooms, they have to be a dark golden brown once cooked. The key here is avoiding moisture! If you clean your mushrooms with water, make sure they are completely dry before cooking them. And don’t overcrowd the pan or steam will be trapped which keeps them from browning!