Mushroom Madeira with Polenta

Preheat the oven to 200C.

Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and lightly salt.

Thickly slice the mushrooms and roughly chop the onion.

Pour the polenta into the boiling water while whisking gently in a steady stream.

Continue to whisk until the polenta is thickened; turn down the heat and continue to whisk until it has thickened enough that it doesn't settle back on the bottom of the pan when you stop stirring.

Cover the polenta, and leave over a very low heat to cook. Stir vigorously every 5-10 minutes, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the pan.

In a different frying pan, add the butter and heat until melted.

Add the onion and cook until transparent.

Add the mushrooms and saute until slightly golden.

In a bowl, mix together the balsamic vinegar, sugar and stock.

Add the sauce to the mushroom and onion mixture.

Cook the mushroom sauce until thickened and the liquid has reduced in volume.

In another frying pan heat the olive oil and add the asparagus; saute until tender crisp and the skin blisters slightly.

Distribute the polenta among serving plates.

Remove the asparagus and serve atop the polenta.

Serve the mushroom madeira atop the polenta and asparagus.

Finely grate the parmesan over the madeira.