Silky Polenta with a Poached Egg

Ingredients

• 8 cups (560 g) mushrooms, sliced
• 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves (12 g), minced
• 1 1/2 tbsp (8 g) fresh thyme
• 1 1/3 cups (210 g) polenta
• 6 cups (1440 ml) water
• 1 1/3 cups (300 g) low-sodium cottage cheese (or low-fat cottage cheese)
• 1/2 cup (40 g) grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 large eggs (200 g)
• 3 tbsp (45 ml) lemon juice
• 1 tsp (2 g) black pepper

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Method

1. Brown the sliced mushrooms in a dry pan over medium-high heat until they squeak and take colour, then add the oil and thyme for 2 minutes, and the garlic for the last 30 seconds.
2. Bring the water to a bare simmer and rain in the polenta, whisking hard; a rolling boil makes lumps you will never beat out.
3. Cook 8 minutes, stirring, until it falls thickly off the spoon, then beat in the cottage cheese, Parmesan and pepper off the heat.
4. Poach the eggs in barely trembling water 3 minutes, until the whites are set and the yolks still runny.
5. Spoon the polenta out, pile the mushrooms on, set an egg on each and finish with the lemon juice.