Wild Rice & Mushroom Polenta Sandwich - A little bit of effort results in a big payout - both in terms of flavour, and servings!
Originally published June 27, 2013. Updated on 7/2/2021
Recently my husband and I took a trip up to Duluth, MN. It was *almost* my first time up there - we'd made the trip a couple years ago, encountered car problems as soon as we arrived, and had to turn right back around for a VERY stressful ride home, hoping the engine didn't blow!
It was an amazing overnight vacation for us - much needed stress relief, and went a long way to temporarily quell some of my homesickness issues.
I'll tell you all about it and share some photos in a few days, but today, let's talk FOOD.
We pulled over to have lunch as we drove a bit further up the north shore, using a maps app to find whatever was close.
We settled on the Splashing Rock Restaurant, and we were thrilled - it was pretty much empty at the time we arrived (we love quiet restaurants!), and it had an amazing view of the lake.
It was *perfect*.
Wild Rice & Mushroom Polenta Sandwich
Their "North Woods Wild Rice & Forest Mushroom Burger" caught my eye, and I recommended it to my husband.
Holy crap, it was probably the best sandwich (not really a burger) that either of us had ever had. Even before we left the parking lot, we knew I'd have to recreate it at home.
Well, I didn't waste any time - I created this recipe the following day!
Aside from changing "forest mushrooms" to the more accessible baby bellas, this recipe turned pretty much bang on... wildly delicious!
Also, it gave us an opportunity to cook up some of the beautiful, long grained wild rice we picked up at a roadside shop on the trip.
Making This Polenta Sandwich
This recipe is easy to do, but a little involved.
Luckily, it makes an entire pan of the polenta patties - about 10 servings? I forgot to count, and really, it depends on the size of bread you use.
Either way - great payout for the effort, both taste wise and volumetrically! My husband was thrilled to live on these sandwiches for the entire week following the trip!
A bit of a confession: I didn't bother making roasted garlic aioli myself - I roasted up a few heads of garlic and stirred it into commercially made mayo. Whatever - it was still amazing!
Enjoy!
More Sandwich Recipes
Love sandwiches, or just want some new ideas for your lunches? We've got you covered!
Apple Chicken Burgers with Basil & Gouda
Buffalo Chicken Buns
Convention Sloppy Joes
Copycat White Castle Burgers
Dukkah Spiced Falafel Burgers
Dukkah Spiced Lamb Burgers
Fancy Tea Sandwiches
Juicy Goosey Burger
Moroccan Spiced Lamb Burgers with Pea Hummus, Goat Cheese, and Beets
Muffaletta Sandwich Recipe
Paneer Burgers
Pesto Chicken Panini
Reuben Buns
Spinach Feta Salmon Burgers
Spinach Hand Pies
Tandoori Spiced Chicken Burgers with Mango
Ultimate Lobster Rolls
Vegetarian Chorizo Burgers with Grilled Poblano & Cilantro Pesto
Vegetarian Donairs (and Vegan Donair Meat)
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Wild Rice and Mushroom Polenta Sandwich
Ingredients
Polenta Filling
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 2 Leeks, White Part Only Thinly Sliced
- 1 Cup Shredded Carrot
- ½ Red Onion Finely Chopped
- 1 lb Baby Bella / Crimini Mushrooms Finely Chopped
- 1 Garlic Clove Pressed
- 2 Cups Dry Polenta
- 5 ½ Cups Water
- 1+ teaspoon Salt
- ¾ Cup Cooked, Well-Drained Wild Rice
- ½ Cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- 2-3 teaspoon Fresh Thyme Finely minced
- Ground Pepper
- Pan Spray
For Assembly
- Grainy Sandwich Bread
- Roasted Garlic Aioli
- Thinly Sliced Red Onion
- Slices of Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Instructions
For Polenta Patties
- In a large pot, combine olive oil, leeks, carrot, onion, and mushrooms. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until liquid starts to “Sweat” from the veggies. Add garlic, continue to cook for one more minute.
- Add polenta, water, and salt, bring to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly, until almost all of the water is absorbed by the polenta. Add cooked wild rice, continue cooking and stirring and the mixture starts to pull away from the sides.
- Remove from heat. Stir in shredded cheese and fresh thyme until cheese is completely melted and incorporated, season to taste with pepper and additional salt, if desired.
- Spray a standard cookie sheet (with sides!) with pan spray, spread polenta evenly throughout the pan. Cool to room temperature, cover with plastic wrap, and chill for at least one hour.
To Assemble
- Slice polenta into bread-sized pieces. Pour a little olive oil into a frying pan, heat slices of polenta over medium until warmed through. Turn the heat up to medium high, continue to fry until desired level of crustiness is reached.
- Toast slices of grainy bread, spread with with roasted garlic aioli (purchased or homemade) and top with a few onion slices. Arrange 1 polenta slice on each sandwich, top with cheese and more onions if desired, and cap it off with a second slice of prepared bread.
- Serve Hot!
Nutrition
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