Polenta with a Savory Tomato Topping

For Polenta

Ingredients:

5 cups water or chicken broth

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 cup course-ground yellow cornmeal

*4 ounces grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (2 cups)

2 Tablespoons sweet butter

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

*Alternatively, you can substitute this cheese with 10 Tablespoons or 5 ounces of Mascarpone cheese.

Cooking instructions:

1.    Use a 2-quart, non-reactive saucepan.  Add liquid and bring to a boil.

2.    Add coarse salt

3.    To avoid a lumpy polenta, the next part is important.  Pour the cornmeal in very slowly and keep stirring! In Danny Meyer’s The Union Square cookbook, he suggests this technique. “ Hold the cup of polenta in one hand and a firm whisk in the other.  Slowly pour the polenta into the liquid with a sprinkling motion and whisk constantly until all the polenta is absorbed.

4.    Reduce the heat to the lowest level. 

5.    Then, using a flat wooden spoon, stir slowly without stopping for 45 to 50 minutes.

6.    If any lumps form, push them against the side of the saucepan and crush them with the wooden spoon.

7.    When fully cooked, turn off the heat. Whisk in the cheese, then the butte and finally season with the salt and pepper. 

8.    Cover and let sit for 5 minutes.

9.    If you are serving on its own, have extra cheese in a bowl on hand for each person to sprinkle on as they wish.  

For Savory Topping:

Ingredients:

4 Tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 pint cherry tomatoes

1 cup cubed honey nut or winter squash

½ cup chopped red onion

¼ cup chopped celery

¼ cup grated carrot

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 cup cubed zucchini

¼ cup red wine

Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking instructions:

Preheat oven to 375⁰F

1.    Put cherry tomatoes in a roasting pan with 2 Tablespoons olive oil.

2.    Sprinkle tomatoes with oregano and mix. 

3.    Put cubed squash in another pan with 1 Tablespoon olive oil.

4.    Cook both for 35 minutes and remove both pans from oven and set aside.

5.    In a skillet, add onion and sauté for 3 minutes, until light brown in color.

6.    Add celery, carrots and garlic and sauté for another three minutes.

7.    Add in roasted tomatoes and squash, mixing thoroughly and sauté for another two minutes.

8.    Add in cubed zucchini and red wine and sauté for another three minutes.

9.    Season with salt and pepper.

10. When polenta is cooked and plated, add two Tablespoons of the savory mixture on top of each serving.

11. Pass the grated cheese.

Serves: 6-8

Wine Suggestion:  A Chianti Classico, Dolcetto d’Alba, Lagrein,  or Montepulciano d'Abruzzo