I'm spending next weekend on the Oregon coast with the grandparents. My MIL is allergic to everything; milk, wheat, nuts, and much, much more. Understandably, she's a horrible cook. I've graciously offered to cook and I'm thinking polenta.
I love polenta, especially with vegetables. This is one of my favorites. The recipe is from memory and is of the "handful of this, dab of that" variety.
I'm always looking for new sauces for polenta. What do you all do? I'd love to hear from you.
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Stuffed Polenta
Polenta:
8 cups water, salted
2 cups corn meal
3 tbs margarine
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ lb mushrooms, sliced
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1½ lbs italian sausage, (use only half)
½ lb mozzarella, sliced or grated
Sauce:
½ cup dry red wine
1 medium onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbs dried basil
italian sausage (remaining)
4 cans (14 oz) diced tomatoes
In a large, deep frying pan over high heat, bring water and 1-2 tsp salt to a boil. Gradually stir in polenta. Reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting and cover. Cook, vigorously stirring (I use a whisk) once every 5 minutes until the polenta has lost its raw cornmeal taste and becomes soft and smooth. This takes about 30 minutes. Stir in the butter and parmesan
cheese Season with salt and pepper.
While the polenta is cooking, removing the casings and slice the sausages. I use a dulled knife, which turns the slices into little meatballs. Place the sausage in a frying pan, add 1/4 cup water, cover and cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or so. Remove the lid and cook for an additional 15 minutes, until the water evaporates and the sausage is browned. Remove the sausages and pour off any excess fat.
When the polenta is ready, spoon ½ of the polenta into a greased 9x13 casserole. Keep the remaining on the burner and covered. Layer the sliced zucchini, mushrooms and ½ the cooked sausage onto the polenta and spread a layer of sliced mozzarella cheese on top. Add the remaining polenta and spread evenly with greased fingers (hot-ouch!). Bake in preheated oven at 350 for 30-45 minutes. The vegetables should be cooked through.
Deglaze the pan used to cook the sausage with ½ cup of dry red wine. Add a medium diced onion and cook until translucent, adding 3-4 minced garlic cloves 1-2 minutes prior. Add 1 tsp dried oregano and 1 tbsp dried basil. Stir. Put in the remaining sausage and 4 cans (14 oz) diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes or so.
To serve, put a square of polenta on a plate and spoon sauce on top. In my recollection, you may want more sauce. We usually eat some of the polenta plain as it is also good without. Makes great leftovers.
I love polenta, especially with vegetables. This is one of my favorites. The recipe is from memory and is of the "handful of this, dab of that" variety.
I'm always looking for new sauces for polenta. What do you all do? I'd love to hear from you.
---------------
Stuffed Polenta
Polenta:
8 cups water, salted
2 cups corn meal
3 tbs margarine
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ lb mushrooms, sliced
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1½ lbs italian sausage, (use only half)
½ lb mozzarella, sliced or grated
Sauce:
½ cup dry red wine
1 medium onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbs dried basil
italian sausage (remaining)
4 cans (14 oz) diced tomatoes
In a large, deep frying pan over high heat, bring water and 1-2 tsp salt to a boil. Gradually stir in polenta. Reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting and cover. Cook, vigorously stirring (I use a whisk) once every 5 minutes until the polenta has lost its raw cornmeal taste and becomes soft and smooth. This takes about 30 minutes. Stir in the butter and parmesan
cheese Season with salt and pepper.
While the polenta is cooking, removing the casings and slice the sausages. I use a dulled knife, which turns the slices into little meatballs. Place the sausage in a frying pan, add 1/4 cup water, cover and cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or so. Remove the lid and cook for an additional 15 minutes, until the water evaporates and the sausage is browned. Remove the sausages and pour off any excess fat.
When the polenta is ready, spoon ½ of the polenta into a greased 9x13 casserole. Keep the remaining on the burner and covered. Layer the sliced zucchini, mushrooms and ½ the cooked sausage onto the polenta and spread a layer of sliced mozzarella cheese on top. Add the remaining polenta and spread evenly with greased fingers (hot-ouch!). Bake in preheated oven at 350 for 30-45 minutes. The vegetables should be cooked through.
Deglaze the pan used to cook the sausage with ½ cup of dry red wine. Add a medium diced onion and cook until translucent, adding 3-4 minced garlic cloves 1-2 minutes prior. Add 1 tsp dried oregano and 1 tbsp dried basil. Stir. Put in the remaining sausage and 4 cans (14 oz) diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes or so.
To serve, put a square of polenta on a plate and spoon sauce on top. In my recollection, you may want more sauce. We usually eat some of the polenta plain as it is also good without. Makes great leftovers.