Savory Polenta...

I have eaten Polenta before, but had never made it...I have been thinking about it lately and how I could make it work for my restaurant....a simply made Polenta with a simply made Italian Sausage Ragu...I checked many recipes and found several similarities...really it is 4-8 times the liquid to the cornmeal...the one I finally decided on was from my old reliable Alton Brown...he never leads me astray....this one is moist, and flavorful and savory....has no graininess at all, it is as smooth as pasta, I would love to serve this to everyone I know!.....I want everyone to promise to give this a try...if you like pasta, you will LOVE this..I guarantee it!

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for grilling or sauteing if desired
3/4 cup finely chopped red onion
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 quart chicken stock or broth
1 cup coarse ground cornmeal
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces Parmesan, grated
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large, oven-safe saucepan heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the red onion and salt and sweat until the onions begin to turn translucent, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add the garlic, and saute for 1 to 2 minutes, making sure the garlic does not burn.
Turn the heat up to high, add the chicken stock, bring to a boil. Gradually add the cornmeal while continually whisking. Once you have added all of the cornmeal, cover the pot and place it in the oven. Cook for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring every10 minutes to prevent lumps. Once the mixture is creamy, remove from the oven and add the butter, salt, and pepper. Once they are incorporated, gradually add the Parmesan.
Serve as is, or pour the polenta into 9 by 13-inch cake pan sprayed with cooking spray. Place in the refrigerator to cool completely...Overnight is good.
Once set, turn the polenta out onto a cutting board and cut into squares, rounds, or triangles. Brush each side with olive oil and saute in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, or grill.

your ingredients minus the butter that I forgot to get out....

chop  the onion and garlic....

saute the onion...then add the garlic and saute....

add the chicken stock and bring to a boil....

once boiling slowly add the cornmeal while whisking.....

when finished put the pan in a 350 oven for 40 minutes...whisking every 10 minutes...

first 10 minutes...

second 10 minutes...

third 10 minutes.....

then whisk in the butter and Parmesan cheese.....

spray a 9x13 dish with cooking spray....

pour in the polenta and cool in the fridge for 4 hours or the next day...

cut the polenta in big squares and then in triangles...

brush with olive oil.....

heat to a medium heat a nonstick pan or a cast iron grill....

place the polenta on and cook for approximately 2 minutes per side....

turn when golden brown....It looks heavy I know, but it is as light as pudding, or mashed potatoes....really....

place like cards in a pasta bowl....then top with your choice! I made mine with a simple Ragu....

I just pulled some vegetables and Italian sausage out of the fridge and made a sauce....

onions, garlic, browned Italian sausage, red and yellow peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, olives and a couple cans of chopped tomatoes...plenty of salt and pepper, cover and cooked it for 30 minutes....simple and very good.....

Oh my!

Cheers to Happy  !!