Forgotten Disney | DIY Spoodles Crispy Polenta with Greens and Mushrooms

File this under Forgotten Disney. So much at Walt Disney World (and Disney in general) has come and gone, or undergone change and rehab since I was little. Periodically we will revisit some of the forgotten places and things from Walt Disney World, starting today.

One of the restaurants Mr. Photos From The Parks and I used to love was Spoodles at Disney's Boardwalk Resort. For my money, they had the best breakfast around. (I now proudly support the buffeteria at the Trail's End in Fort Wilderness as the best kept breakfast secret on property.) I stumbled across this recipe in my Delicious Disney book and all those wonderful memories came flooding back!

This recipe was really quite easy to make. The Balsamic Vinaigrette was the hardest part. I used prepackaged polenta from Trader Joe's so all the prep work for that was unnecessary. I just opened the package and sliced it. Everything else is just a sauté. And since I've been making a conscious effort to eat more veggies through the day (my one thing I can do right now to be healthier), this seemed like a no brainer. I added a bit of sweet onion to my mushrooms, and a slice of smoked provolone atop my polenta, and served it with the polenta slices on the bottom, but otherwise, it's the same recipe.

Enjoy this entrée from Spoodles, and until next time, may all your days be filled with fairy dust!

Crispy Polenta with Mushrooms, Wilted Greens and Balsamic Vinaigrette

from Delicious Disney

Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 C warm cooked polenta
5 T butter, divided
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 C red wine
1 C vegetable stock
4 T olive oil
1 C shiitake mushrooms (or sub what you have)
1 C cremini mushrooms
2 C Swiss chard or large leaf spinach
2 C arugula
2 T water
Balsamic Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together cooked polenta with 4 T butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

2. Pour polenta into 1/2" thickness in an 8" square pan. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

3. While polenta is cooling, make Balsamic Vinaigrette. Set aside.

4. In a sauté pan, whisk together wine and vegetable stock; cook until reduced by half. Remove from pan and set aside.

5. In the same pan, heat 2 T oil and sauté the mushrooms.

6. Add the wine and stock reduction to the mushrooms; cook 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from pan and keep warm until ready to serve.

7. In the same pan, melt the remaining T butter. Add greens and water and cook just until greens are wilted. Keep warm.

8. Remove polenta from refrigerator and cut into 8 squares.

9. In a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 T oil and cook the polenta until crispy, turning once.

10. Place wilted greens on serving plates, top each with 2 squares of warm polenta, then spoon mushrooms over the top. Drizzle with vinaigrette.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

1 shallot, minced
3T balsamic vinegar
1/2 t fresh thyme, basil or other favorite herb
5 T olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. In food processor or blender, mix together shallots, vinegar, and herbs.

2. Drizzle in olive oil with machine running.

3. Season with salt and paper to taste.