“Polenta concia” with mushrooms and Toma cheese fondue
Dolce Stil Novo
Chef: Alfredo Russo
Country: Italia
City: Turín
Address: Piazza della Repubblica, 4
(+39) 011 499 2343alfredo@dolcestilnovo.com
An elegant and refined version of a classic Italian dish in the alpine Piedmont tradition. Alfredo Russo gives form, order and style to this preparation, rustic in origin and aspect: a mushroom cream topped with crispy pieces of truffle and mushroom, covered with a delicate fondue foam made from Toma di Lanzo cheese. A thin disc of polenta crowns the ensemble. The dish is served just warm to better appreciate not just its lightness but also the pure, precise flavor and aroma of the mushrooms as well as the textures, which are balanced with the polenta and the creaminess of the fondue. It is an accomplished example of revised tradition without betraying the principles or flavors of the original. One might even say it has been improved thanks to the excellent selection of ingredients, the quality of the preparations and the proportions used therein.
The Recipe
“Polenta concia” with mushrooms and Toma cheese fondue
Ingredients
Ingredients for 4 servings:
- 200 g stone-ground polenta
- 1 l water
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Fleur de sel
For the fondue:
- 200 g Toma di Lanzo aged cheese
- 100 g whole milk
- 100 g cream
For the mushroom ragù:
- 300 g truffles
- 300 g porcini mushrooms (Boletus edulis)
- Olive oil
- 1 fresh onion
For the mushroom cream:
- 200 g porcini mushrooms (Boletus edulis)
- 30 g butter
- Vegetable stock
Method
Prepare the polenta according to the traditional recipe, stirring continually. Once cooked, pour into a cylindrical mold and set aside to cool and give it consistency.
For the mushroom cream: sweat the mushrooms with a little butter until tender, cover with the vegetable broth and blend in a Thermomix to obtain a uniform cream with concentrated flavor. Keep hot.
For the mushroom ragù: sweat the diced onion, add the truffles (previously washed and chopped), cover and cook over low heat until tender. Salt to taste and keep hot.
In a non-stick pan, sauté the chopped mushrooms over high heat to make them crispy.
For the fondue: heat the milk and cream to 70ºC/158ºF, add the cheese and stir to melt it and whip the mixture lightly. Strain the preparation and charge the siphon with two cartridges of compressed air. Keep hot in a bain-marie.
Finishing: on a deep plate, place a spoonful of mushroom cream, top with the truffles and sautéed mushrooms, add the fondue whipped with the siphon and crown with a sheet of polenta cut very thinly and steamed to heat. Dress with a ribbon of olive oil and serve.