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A delicious vegan main course well worth the elaborate preparation. Wild mushrooms, hazelnuts, figs, and thyme all make me think of the Pacific Northwest, so I came up with this dish to showcase the earthy flavours of an Oregon forest. The blackcurrant dressing makes for a snazzy presentation that's guaranteed to impress. While the preparation may seem a bit elaborate, this dish is well worth the effort. And if you like, you can prepare the polenta and lentils in advance.
Ingredients :
6 figs
4 dried black Mission figs, stemmed
1 cup blackcurrant juice or 100% pomegranate juice
2 cups polenta
9 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup puy (French green) lentils, rinsed and drained
Freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped shallot
10 oz (285g) mixed wild mushrooms (such as oyster, chanterelle, and stemmed shiitake), thinly sliced
2 tablespoons hazelnuts, toasted and skinned and finely chopped
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
Baby lettuce, arugula (rocket), or microgreens for garnish
For the blackcurrant dressing:
Reserved black currant juice (from the figs)
1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
Juice of ½ lime
2 teaspoons minced shallot
1 tablespoon creme de cassis
1 tablespoon red wine
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
½ cup (120ml) hazelnut oil
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Directions :
- To prepare the figs: Put the figs in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the blackcurrant juice to a boil over high heat. Pour the juice over the figs and let stand for 30 minutes. Drain, reserving the juice, and coarsely chop the figs.
- To make the dressing: in a small saucepan, heat the reserved blackcurrant juice over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 2 tablespoons, 20 to 30 minutes. Transfer the reduction to a blender. Add the mustard, lime juice, shallot, crème de cassis, wine, and vinegar and blend until smooth.
- With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the hazelnut oil and blend until the mixture is thick and smooth. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a squeeze bottle or bowl. Lightly coat a 9-inch square baking pan lightly with olive oil.
- Read Full Recipes >> www.theguardian.com