When it all catches up with you, a plate of comfort is just what the doctor ordered! Perhaps Pearl Onions and Mushrooms over Corn Meal Mush?
Sometimes we had it for breakfast when I was growing up. Corn meal mush. It is really delightful, especially if drizzled with a bit of real maple syrup or topped with berries. A simple cereal, it’s filling, warming, tasty, and can be eaten at any meal as a side or main event. Leftovers are great the next day cut into little squares and fried. My mom friend it in bacon grease, but olive oil will do the trick without the saturated fat!
A little comfort is the prescription
No matter how it is served, it is comfort food, something I needed a bit of this week. After five years of successfully avoiding it, I came down with a case of Covid this past week! This definitely shattered my Wonder Woman illusions! How could this be? Luckily, my case was on the mild side, in fact I only tested because I had a little sore throat and was seeing my grandson and did not want him to bring it home to his parents, just in case. After five years of negative results every time I took that test (and Covid swirled around me many times) I was pretty shocked to see it test positive.
I needed some flavor
So I slept a lot, felt sorry for myself, and finally decided I had to get up and cook something. Not much tasted good to me, and I didn’t have a lot in the refrigerator, but I was glad I still had some lovely local mushrooms that were calling my name. Pretty much everything else was from the pantry or freezer, but the results were quite delicious and definitely fell firmly in the category of comfort food.
I used cornmeal grown right here in town by the Nitty Gritty Grain Co. – “Wapsi Valley,” an heirloom, open-pollinated variety with great flavor and texture. Look around and see what you can find locally, it makes a difference. If you can’t source locally, Bob’s Red Mill has an excellent organic medium grind meal that is widely available.
Something fresh to start things off
The mushrooms, oyster and shiitake, that lurked in my crisper drawer gave me the original inspiration to make this dish, I had to use them up, but make do with any you like or have on hand that will save you a trip to the store. I was glad to see that last little lemon as well, plump and ready to zest and juice. More flavor.
Freezer stores to the rescue
The freezer provided my homemade mushroom stock (lots of flavor there I knew), corn from last summer, and peas, which I always have on hand and have been known to nibble at while still frozen. Thank goodness for their color! The onions were a bag left over from Christmas that I forgot to use! Everything else was from the pantry, and glad I was that I keep it stocked.
We have flavor, now some texture in the form of golden nuggets
The charred corn kernels add nice texture to the dish which would otherwise be rather soft on soft. I sprinkled them with smoked Spanish paprika to add more flavor, and glad I was for this! The little lemon at the end perked it up, perked me up, too.
Now, time for a nap, I think.
Browned Pearl Onions and Mushrooms over Corn Meal Mush with Golden Nuggets
- 1 cup medium cornmeal, local if possible
- 1 quart stock or water (think flavor)
- 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
- 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 14 oz. (400 g.) pearl onions, thawed if frozen
- 1 small onion, sliced
- 1 tbsp. butter or vegan butter
- 14 oz. (400 g.) mushrooms of choice
- 5 or 6 sundried tomatoes, sliced thinly
- 1 1/3 cup stock or water
- 1 cup peas
- Zest and juice of one lemon
- Parmesan or vegan Parmesan to adorn
First, put your stock or water on the boil.
While that is coming to temperature, get the onions started. Heat a large skillet over medium high and add the olive oil. Pat the thawed onions dry and add them to the pan, and top with the sliced onion, some salt and pepper. Let these cook for a five minutes or so, turn, then reduce heat to medium and add the butter. You are going to turn them now and then until browned on all sides, then top with the mushrooms and tomatoes, and let continue to cook until everything is browned. You will have a lot of glaze on the pan by now, so add the stock, deglaze, and let simmer for a few minutes. Toss in the peas, cover and remove from the heat.
For the mush, I used mushroom stock from my freezer because I really wanted to boost the taste, but you can use anything you like. The dish will have more flavor with the broth, but water is fine too. Once boiling, salt the water, then drizzle in the cornmeal, whisking all the while to prevent lumps. Once it is all incorporated, reduce the heat to low, and stir occasionally with a wooden spoon. Mother always used a wooden spoon, so it might be a law. It should take about 25 minutes or so. You can leave it as is, or fold in a half cup of grated Parmesan or vegan Parmesan at the end. I like a lot of freshly ground pepper here.
While everything else is simmering away, toast the corn kernels. Use a heavy frying pan (cast iron?) and add just a brush of oil over medium high. Add the corn and let char, sprinkled with a bit of smoked paprika if you have it. It’s amazing how this is transformed into flavorful little golden nuggets!
Plate the mush, top with the onion and mushroom mixture, and garnish with the toasted corn and a few shavings of Parmesan.
Comfort and flavor all the way!
Second Act:
Just mix the mushrooms with the mush and let set overnight. In the morning, cut into squares and fry up, then top with a beautiful local egg.
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Sorry to hear, Dorothy, that you feel unwell. The food you describe is a real tasty comfort food! I hope you will feel better soon!
Joanna
Thank you! I’m definitely on the mend!
We love putting cottage cheese on cornmeal
Oh that sounds good!
This looks delicious and nourishing. Definitely comfort food which is perfect for cold days, especially when one is under the weather.
Stay healthy and keep warm! 🙂
Thank you my friend!
I love polenta – especially once I made it myself from scratch.
It’s makes a difference when you make it from scratch, and it’s pretty easy too!
Just think of it as building up your immunity. But seriously, I hope you are feeling better. You definitely created some comfort food to keep you nourished. Looks delicious!
Thanks Jan! I’m feeling stronger every day!!
hope you are feeling better soon. Yep we call it polenta in australia. a very comforting dish.
cheers
sherry
Thank you! I’m on the mend!
I am so sorry to hear you have covid but glad it’s a mild case.
My Mom used to make Cornmeal Mush. I have not had it in years!
I need to change that.
Feel better my friend.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Thank you so much Nancy! Happy Valentines Day!
All the best and try to be patient. Be happy yours was a mild case but tiredness and ‘odd’ symptoms like the that of funny taste of food may persist awhile. I did not know I had it until I ended up in hospital for something else and tested positive! *smile* As I also comment from Australia – yes, we DO call this ‘polenta’ and i love it and really, really like your mushroom version!
That you so much! I think this annoying cough and tiredness will linger, but it could have been much worse!
Hoping you’re feeling better. I haven’t made mush in years, yet love the stuff. I like it fried with maple syrup for breakfast, but could be persuaded to eat it aka polenta in a savory dish.
Mom always made a big batch so she could fry the little squares the next day!
Yum! I swear that I could smell the sweet aroma of these delicious meals right through my computer screen!
Ah thanks! I’m sending you the scent all the way from here!
Fabulous! Polenta is so good. I just discovered a Romanian polenta recipe. Cornmeal rules!!!! Covid sucks.
It sure does! I thought I would avoid it, but it snuck up on me!
What’s in the Romanian version of polenta?
After avoiding for a long time, it is a hard pill to swallow, isn’t it? I am glad you are feeling better, and certainly I am a believer that even though we can still get it, being vaccinated and careful, and masking when it is important still protect us from dying or being sick enough to need hospitalization.
As to the corn meal mush, I confess to reading that and thinking back to the one and only time I remember Mother ever making it–we were out of oatmeal or Cream of Wheat, so she made corn meal mush for our breakfast cereal that day. All 3 of us kids ate it, because you were expected to eat what was served, but we hated it. I kept reading anyway and since I love polenta, I thought hmmm…then the more you explained, the more I wanted to try this. While I am trying to keep my pantry well stocked these days, I know I do not have all or even most of these items, including all the essential ones! Thank you for sharing your idea for comfort food, and once I try this, I will let you know. Here’s hoping you are back in tip top shape soon.
I let myself slip. Even though I’m fully vaxed and boosted, when I was at the doctor’s office for my annual, I forgot my mask. That, coupled with having a colonoscopy which wipes out a lot of our gut’s immune system protection, and there you go! Luckily, it’s been a mild case as Covid goes.
Give the mush (polenta) another try, and first time around, don’t leave out the Parmesan!
Pleased ypu are feeling somewhat better, Dorothy so far I have escaped covid even on our trip to the UK …Cornmeal mush is not something I grew up with it wasn’t/isn’t a British dish however yours sounds and looks most delicious, Dorothy…I hope you have a great weekend and are feeling much better 🙂 x
Luckily, I’m fully vaxed and boosted, so my symptoms have been mostly head cold. The cough keeps lingering though.
Sorry to hear that, Dorothy it seems coughs this time of year seem to be lingering I don’t think the cold and damp helps I hope your cough soon disappears x
Thanks Carol!!!
Good to hear that you are feeling a little better. Hope that you are fully recuperated very soon. I don’t think that I’ve ever had corn meal mush. Somehow I’ve missed this comfort food. Your version looks delicious.
Thank you Sheryl! Better every day!
Oh Dorothy, what a bummer getting COVID! Hope it’s soon a memory. Never eaten Cornmeal Mush but I must say it sounds absolutely lovely. Thanks for putting the idea in my head!
Mary :))
Thanks Mary! I’m getting there!
Give it a try, it’s such a versatile dish, sweet or savory!
Did you hang up you cape for a minute and let someone take care of YOU for a change? ⚡️ Corn meal mush……good for what ails you. Be well, dear D. ☺️
Thank you! I think I forgot to pick up my cape from the cleaners!
Hahaha! So glad you’re feeling better!
Aw, that’s really bad luck, Dorothy. Hope you’re soon feeling much better . . . lots of comfort food and loving care required! 😊
And sleep, I’m not usually a napper, but I’ve been taking a long, sound one each afternoon! Thank you my friend!
I am sorry to hear you caught COVID. I hope you feel better soon. I hope your taste buds recover soon.
I love polenta aka grits (larger grind) than medium.
All these corn porridges are delicious!
I’m getting much better, thank you!!
Yes, they are! I love fried mush! I had it for the first time in Indiana at an Amish restaurant.
Ah, they know how to do it right!
They do! I loved how crispy it was on the outside and creamy it was in the middle. Every time we ate in a restaurant that served it, I’d order some.
I’m sorry to hear you succumbed to Covid! The corn meal mush looks really good. From the recipe, it sounds as if there are options for veggies to go in it?
You can tuck just about anything in the mush. I actually like mixing the roasted corn right in for the texture. Finely chopped sauteed peppers are good, and chives are my favorite. However, my chives are under about two feet of snow (and climbing) right now and I’m not about to pay $4 for a tiny little limp bundle in the store!
Thanks, Dot. I’ll have to give it a try! I’ve always liked cornmeal, preferably the coarse ground.
Don’t forget the Parm!
I won’t!! (Everything’s better with cheese.)
Now that sounds delish! Unfortunately, Dorothy, my man is not a fan of polenta; I’d have to be very magical to hide it… Abracadabra!
To my knowledge I’ve not had Covid, as yet. I’ve had a couple of flu like illnesses, but amongst others suffering Covid, I’ve escaped. Here’s hoping you are feeling so much better now. Sending good and healthy vibes your way.
Thank you my friend!
I was totally gobsmacked! Didn’t think I’d get it after all this time! But I’m definitely on the mend.
I’m glad you are feeling better, Dot! That darn Covid just keeps making the rounds. Your dish sounds superbly comforting, especially with all those mushrooms! 😋
I was certainly glad I had them in the fridge!
Went out for the first time yesterday (testing negative of course) with my daughter to the local Gardener’s Supply greenhouse! It was so good to be in the middle of all that green, and they had primroses. I could actually smell them! It was just what the doctor ordered, and I came home with a new orchid, some primroses, and a few little garden do-dads!
I never knew polenta was mush. Thank you for sharing. I aways appreciate your selections and patient step by step guidance. ☕️💕☕️
Thank you my friend! Many of us grew up on mush for breakfast, and now we can call it polenta!
Sorry you’re feeling poorly but good food (almost) always helps! I hope you’re on the mend and back to your usual self quick-fast!
I’m feeling much better, Natasha! Almost my old self after I made a big pot of curry!
I grew up eating fried cornmeal mush and it was only a few years ago that I discovered that polenta was the same thing.
Funny, isn’t it? It took me a while back in the day to figure it out when polenta started getting trendy. Why, I grew up on this and I’ve not an Italian gene!
The cornmeal mush sounds delicious, but darn that Covid! When I told my husband that you had it, he said, “Well, it’s still out there.” Yes it is, and any of us could get it. Hope you soon feel better and your sense of taste is back to normal.
Thanks Laurie! I certainly got slipped some kryptonite! But I’m much better now except for the cough.
Taste buds working nicely, although my husband said I made the curry a little too spicy last night!
Glad you are feeling better!
I certainly hope you are feeling much better now. Getting sick is always bad timing-UGH.
I like this dish. I really enjoy polenta and mushrooms and peas and mushroom broth…Delicious.
Thank you so much!
I am feeling better, still have that cough!
This is great comfort food! Wishing you much wellness!
Thank you my friend!
What a great idea cutting it up the next day and frying it!
Mom always did that, and we loved it even better that way!
This sounds like my kind of dish—I love onions, mushrooms, corn and everything else this has!
Then you will love this one Nancy! Especially that toasted corn!
Yum! Dorothy, that looks like an incredible polenta dish.
Thank you Mary! It was tasty!
I call it polenta but either way it’s super delicious! 😋 A soul warming meal 😋
It’s always comfort food!
Oh no, you got COVID! I’m so sorry, what an ordeal. I haven’t yet tested positive but who knows, I could of had it a dozen times and never knew. It’s a strange one. But you put on your big girl panties and decided to cook. I love that. I would have watched an old movie, popped some corn, lots of butter – but that’s my self care routine. And I love this, “Mother always used a wooden spoon, so it might be a law.” Oh my, I love the way you share a recipe. Hope you’re feeling better my friend, hugs, C
It was short-lived except for the cough so I’m certainly glad I was vaccinated. It was so mild I wouldn’t have even tested but my grandson was planning a visit and on the off chance it was Covid I didn’t want him bringing it back to his dad who had a heart attack last November. I was shocked to see it was positive since I’ve avoided it for five years!