Polenta, soft, with sautéed mushrooms

Step 1: Bring the milk, water and bay leaf to the boil then remove from heat and allow to infuse for 20 minutes.

Step 2: Strain and discard the bay leaf, bring milk to the boil again, pour in the polenta and stir continuously until it thickens, this will take about 10-20 minutes, depending on the variety of polenta.

Step 3: When cooked, add the mascarpone and grated pecorino and mix until well combined; taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. The polenta should be soft and creamy and only just hold its shape; you may need to add a little extra of the standby milk to loosen up the polenta if it becomes too stiff – this will also depend on what brand of polenta you use. You want a sloppy, porridge type consistency.

Step 4: To sauté the mushrooms, melt the butter and a splash of olive oil in a large non stick frying pan, when the butter starts bubbling, add the garlic and mushrooms and cook briefly until golden but just done and the mushrooms still moist.

Step 5: Add the herbs and lemon and mix through, season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Step 6: You may need to add a little more butter, to keep the mushrooms moist.

Step 7: Pour the polenta into a serving dish, top with the sautéed mushrooms and shavings of pecorino and serve.