Author Notes: Smooth and luscious polenta was a difficult dish made only for special occasions in my home. This easy version will leave your guests thinking you were cooking all day long. A hearty comfort side dish.
—Marisa R
Serves: 3-4
Ingredients
Polenta
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1
cup medium grind yellow corn meal
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750
milliliters chicken stock (or vegetable broth)
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2
tablespoons Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
Vegetable Medley
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1 1/2
cups cremini mushrooms, cleaned, sliced (button mushrooms can be used)
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2
cups kale, blanced for 5 min., cooled (swiss chard can be used)
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2
cloves garlic, chopped
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1
red pepper seeded and diced
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1/2
teaspoon each salt & pepper
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3
tablespoons EVOO
-
salt & pepper to taste
Directions
Polenta
Stir the corn meal into the broth while the broth is cold. Place pot on a burner and turn onto high heat. Continue stirring until broth almost comes to a boil. Meanwhile place another pot slightly bigger than the polenta pot on another burner. Fill with 1-2″ of water, bring water to a boil.
When the polenta starts to thicken place it inside the larger boiling pot of water creating a double boiler. Immediately reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the top pot to hold in steam and continue cooking, stirring occasionally for 30-40min. This double boiler method prevents any lumps from occurring. Add lots of cheese then taste for seasoning. You may not need any salt if the stock was well seasoned. Stir and keep warm until ready to serve. Approximately 10minutes before the polenta is ready, begin to make the topping.
Vegetable Medley
Drizzle oil into a preheated med. skillet and drop in mushrooms and peppers. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, to taste. This begins to let mushrooms release moisture creating a sauce. Add garlic, making some space in the pan. Cook for 1 min on med. heat to golden. Add greens and raise the heat to med. high (#6). Stir while cooking until some moisture evaporates 5-10min. Turn off heat when greens are cooked tender and there is some moisture still in the pan to top the polenta. If it dries out add a small amount of wine, broth or water.
Spoon out a cup of polenta onto a plate and top with sauce. Drizzle with extra oil if you desire.