sauteed shiitake & polenta appetizer

[i used the pre-cooked polenta]

at our wedding back in may, the chef at calistoga ranch served an amazing appetizer that was definitely not vegan: sauteed shiitake mushrooms atop a warm polenta square with some kind of a mushroom sauce drizzled on top (definitely loaded with butter). the combination of the sauteed mushrooms and warm polenta was so incredible that my friends and family are still raving about this dish. so, when i was invited to a thanksgiving party this weekend and asked to bring an appetizer, i decided it was my chance to try to whip up a vegan version of the amazing dish.

[slice the polenta into little patties]

[wash the mushrooms]

ingredients:
pre-cooked polenta (2 tubes)
shiitake mushrooms (1 lb)
earth balance vegan butter
salt
parsley

how to:
start by slicing the pre-cooked polenta into small patties. once you're finished with those, put them aside and start working on the mushrooms. after rinsing the mushrooms, slice them into small pieces and set them aside in a bowl (see picture below).

[make sure to use a very sharp knife]

take a large saute pan and put it over medium heat. add a small pat of earth balance butter to the pan and let it melt a bit. add the mushrooms.

saute the mushrooms until golden brown and tender. add salt to taste. after the mushrooms are fully cooked, place them back in the bowl and set them aside. add another pat of earth balance butter to the pan and lay the polenta patties in the pan. lightly brown the polenta on each side and place on a serving platter. scoop a small amount of mushrooms onto each polenta patty and garnish with parsley (not pictured).

these mini polenta cakes make a great appetizer for any dinner party, but i will say, they kind of need a sauce.  my next adventure will be creating a nice vegan mushroom sauce to go with these. stay tuned!