A very hearty and healthy vegetarian meal that will please even the biggest carnivore.
This is a complex dish because it has several components, each of which can be made from scratch or bought. For example, if you don't want to make a pot of beans or a batch of red chile sauce, you can use canned or frozen.
See the recipe instructions and the *Kitchen Notes for more information, substitutions and links to specific ingredients.
Spray a container (metal or glass) with cooking spray. (I use a small rectangular bread pan.)
Pour the cooked polenta into the container, press to fill gaps, and smooth out the top.
Move to the refrigerator to let set (at least 4 hours).
About 30 minutes to an hour before frying up the polenta, remove from the pan by inverting the pan onto a papertowel and tapping on the pan until polenta falls out.
Using a knife, slice the polenta into slices 1/2" - 3/4" thick. Place a papertowel on a cooling racking. Place the polenta slices on top of the papertowel. This helps remove some of the remaining moisture that can cause splattering when you fry and which can also soften the polenta because of too much water.
Place about a teaspoon of butter or oil in a non-stick skillet and heat over medium high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the slices of polenta. Be careful because it may splatter. I use a splatter screen.
Top with a scoop of the mushroom mixture, then a scoop of beans.
Batch creamy polenta (no cheese)
Black Beans – If you are using canned beans, add the chipotle and red chile when you heat the beans. If you make a pot of beans, then add the chile when you cook the beans.
Seasoning for Black Beans – Personally, I like chipotle, New Mexico red chile powder, and/or urfa biber chile flakes. However, you can use any type of red chile flakes or powder that you have on hand.
Links to Red Chile Sauce made from pods or powder or purchased
Red Chile Sauce – Normally, I would smother a dish with red chile; however, this particular dish is best with a complementary amount of chile rather than a smothering.
Make it simple – Here’s what I do to make this dish an easy dish to throw together. It’s a menu option when I plan to make a pot of black beans and there is red chile in the freezer. If I find some nice looking shiitake at the market, then it’s on the menu. To make the night of even easier, I’ll plan a creamy polenta meal (like this Southwestern Pork Stir Fry) earlier in the week, and make a larger batch of polenta so I can have leftovers for this dish. Therefore, if you schedule it all correctly, by the time you are ready to make this black bean, shiitake and polenta dish, all you have to do it reheat the beans and red chile, fry up the polenta, and saute’ the mushrooms – easy peasy.
Recipe author: MJ of MJ's Kitchen