I had planned to make a  mushroom ragout to top our leftover polenta last night.

I had great intentions. But a live wire caught the outside of our house on fire, and, well, we ate popcorn and cheese for dinner.

THIS IS FINE.

Mushroom Ragout Over Polenta

(serves 4)

2 T olive oil
1 T butter
.5 medium onion, dice
1 T garlic, minced
4 c. mushrooms, cleaned, stemmed and chopped (a mix is great, but cremini is JUST fine)
2 t fresh thyme, stemmed and chopped
2 t fresh oregano, chopped
1-14.5 oz can, petite diced tomatoes (don’t drain the juices!)
1 T tomato paste
2 c chicken or vegetable stock
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1 T fresh parsley, chopped

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, and add the olive oil and the butter. When the butter foams, add the onions and sauté until translucent, roughly 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook about 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and stir frequently until they have released most of their liquid (ten minutes or so).

Add the thyme, oregano, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and stock, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced and the ragout has thickened, about 20 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper, and stir in the parsley.

While your ragout is simmering, reheat your polenta, incorporating half-and-half or milk to restore the creaminess. Divide the polenta onto four plates and top with the ragout. Sprinkle some shaved pecorino on top, and enjoy.

This was the plan, at least.