I did it!

A few weeks back I made polenta and it didn't quite work out to be soft and silky like it should have been.  After seeking your advice, the consensus was to just keep stirring.  And then, even when I thought I should stop, to stir some more.  Those who know me well can understand the irony of me being told to keep stirring!

Sausage, fennel seed and mushroom ragu

Anyway, I'm pleased to say this week I managed to make soft, smooth, velvety polenta - with the help of some butter and parmesan.  This was the base for my Sausage, fennel seed and mushroom ragu with parmesan polenta.  Use the best pork sausages you can find/afford for this ragu. Mine were from the butcher in Noosa Junction (near Coles) and the spices he had in there complemented the fennel and mushrooms beautifully.  Also, don't stick to just swiss brown mushrooms - I used a combination of oyster (kept these whole), shitake (sliced) and swiss browns (sliced).  This adds a few more textures and shapes too.

When I made this I changed the order of cooking things, see my steps below.  The original recipe used 2 pans to cook up the ragu - one with the ragu, and then another to cook off the mushrooms before adding them in. I've changed the order so you only need the one pan.  This also keeps  the mushroom 'juice' and cooked on bits in the ragu, and not down the sink.

The ragu recipe came from my annually anticipated May Delicious magazine, the annual Italian issue.  Even though I'm not Italian, I find myself drawn to the flavour combinations in Italian food wherever I am and whatever mood I'm in.  The fresh herbs, tomatoes, mushrooms, meats and of course the cheese, draw me back in time and time again.  I never get sick of it.

The other dish I cooked this week was an old favourite - Manchego and Chorizo Croquettes.  This recipe came from a cooking class at Noosa Springs, many years ago, with two then, up and coming chefs Justin Miles (now back in Adelaide at his own acclaimed Windy Point Restaurant) and the other, a Noosa local and favourite, Matt Golisnki, then working at Ricky Ricardo's (now Rickys).  I'm sure you all saw on tv the tragic fire which claimed his family last Boxing Day.  The news on Matt is that he is out of hospital and physically on the road to recovery.  It will be a long, slow, painful process - physically and mentally.  Our hearts go out to him.

I have been making these tasty morsels, since doing the cooking class nearly 10 years ago, but apparently never for Andy!  Manchego is a sheep's cheese, from a certain breed of sheep on the side a hill in Spain - or so we were told at the cooking class. At the time, it was hard to get.  Now, my favourite place in Noosa, Belmondos, can usually be relied upon for Manchego, but alas not this time.  I asked for a substitute and was offered a french cheese cured in red wine!  Whilst this sounded interesting, it wasn't quite hard enough and didn't have the flavour I was looking for.  Then I saw the Lamb Chopper - an American Sheeps milk cheese.  Right animal, right texture, right flavour.  It worked into the croquettes beautifully.  The chorizo came from Andy's new favourite shop B-Fresh in Warana.  The chorizo was a beautiful firm, smoky flavour, with just the right amount of spice.  I served these on roasted capsicum and rocket, with a balsamic glaze and Chilli Jam (from Noosa Chilli).

To make a balsamic glaze, just pour a bottle (or half a bottle) of balsamic vingear into a pan and reduce it.  It will thicken as it cools, so don't let it cook till it is completely thickened.  As my sister Sue told me: turn it off and let it cool and if it's not thick enough you can always turn it back on and keep reducing.  Wise words!  Pour what you don't use into a sterilized jar or squeeze bottle, and store for another time.

I've been trying to think of another name for croquette that starts with ch for a completely alliterated (obliterated??) name for these Chopper and Chorizo croquettes.  Leave your suggestions in the comment box.

Chopper and Chorizo Croquettes

Chopper and Chorizo Croquettes (makes heaps!)

2 large potatoes, peeled, chopped, cooked and mashed
4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp plain flour
1/2 cup warm milk
1 cup chorizo - skinned, chopped finely to almost a minced texture
1/2 - 1 cup Lamb Chopper Cheese grated (or Manchego, parmesan or other hard flavoursome cheese)
2 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
3 eggs (and a splash of milk)
1 cup flour
2 cups coarse breadcrumbs

1.  Cook and mash potatoes.
2. Make a bechamel - melt butter in small pan, add flour and cook over low heat 2 mins.  Slowly add warm milk (you get a less lumpy sauce!), until thick and smooth.  Cook, stirring, for 5 mins.
3. Fold bechamel through mashed potato, mix well and chill.
4. When cold, work in chorizo, cheese and parsley.  Season with salt and pepper.  Take spoonfuls and turn into barrel shapes.
5. Whisk together eggs and a splash of milk. 
6. Dust 'barrels' in flour, dip in egg wash, roll in crumbs. Try to keep one dry hand (flour and crumbs) and one wet hand (egg wash).
7. Deep/shallow fry a few at a time until crispy and golden.
8. Serve with chilli sauce (or your favourite dipping sauce).

Sausage, fennel seed and mushroom ragu with polenta parmesan (serves 6 - 8)
20g dried porcini mushrooms
1/4 cup (80mL) olive oil
800g pork sausage, casings removed, broken into small pieces
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 rosemary sprig, leaves finely chopped
2 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
150mL dry white wine
2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
3 fresh bay leaves
450g swiss brown mushrooms, thickly sliced
Chopped flat leaf parsley, to serve

1. Soak porcini in 1 cup (250mL) boiling water for 30 minutes.
2. Cook sausage meat in batches, in LARGE saucepan over medium heat, for 5 - 6 mins, until golden brown.  Remove and set aside. Drain porcini, reserving the liquid.
3. In the same pan, add some oil, add sliced mushrooms.  Cook over high heat for 3 mins until lightly golden. Remove, cover, set aside.
4. In the same pan, cook onion over med-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 mins, or until soft and lightly golden.   Add drained porcini, garlic, rosemary, fennel and chilli.  Cook, stirring, 1 - 2 mins.  Add wine and simmer for 2 - 3 mins, until almost evaporated.
5. Return sausage meat to pan, with tomatoes, bay leaves and all but 1 - 2 tsp of porcini liquid (in case there's grit/sediment in the bottom).  Simmer stirring occasionally, for 20 mins, or until ragu is reduced and thickened.
6. Stir mushrooms into ragu, cover and simmer a further 5 mins.  Season.

Parmesan polenta
6 cups (1.5L) chicken stock
1 1/2 cups (250g) instant polenta
50g unsalted butter (the chicken stock takes care of the salt requirement!)
2 cups (160g) finely grated parmesan

1. Bring stock to boil.
2. Reduce heat to low then pour in polenta in a slow steady stream, stirring constantly.
3. Cook, stirring for 5 minutes or until thick.  KEEP STIRRING!
4. Stir in butter and parmesan, then season if necessary.
5. Spoon polenta into bowls or onto plates, then top with mushroom ragu and parsley.