Mixed Mushroom Ragù with Parmesan & Parsley Gremolata

Use a combination of mushrooms — from cute baby buttons to meaty portobellos. A mixture of shapes and sizes is good; they will reduce in size as they cook, so don’t cut them too small.

For the ragù:

5 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 medium onions, peeled and diced

2 medium carrots, peeled and diced

2 ribs celery, trimmed and diced

4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced

3 sprigs thyme

900g mixed mushrooms, wiped with a damp

cloth, large ones cut in half

175ml white wine

125ml vegetable stock

For the gremolata:

1 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley finely grated zest of 2 large lemons 100g finely grated parmesan

Heat half the butter and olive oil in a large, heavy frying pan over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic and a good pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, until the vegetables soften and start to colour. Add the remaining butter, followed by the thyme and mushrooms. Fry gently for another 5-10 minutes until the mushrooms release their juices. Pour in the wine and let it bubble, scraping any delicious, sticky bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the stock. Cook for another 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the ragù smells irresistible. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

While the ragù is cooking, make the gremolata by mixing all the ingredients in a small bowl.

To serve, scoop a generous helping of Oven-Baked Polenta (recipe page 86) into six shallow bowls. Top with mushroom ragù, and sprinkle over the gremolata.

Serves 6