bobmark226
02-23-2005, 07:31 AM
In my continuing search through earlier CL annuals, I came on a pair of polenta recipes I did over the last few days, one Sunday, the other I made last night for today's breakfast. Like many of you, I love cornmeal and I think polenta is kind of neglected here even though it's the perfect Winter comfort food.
The first, Polenta with Fontina and Spinach, is from May 2002. The polenta is cooked the normal way with briefly sauteed garlic, then chopped spinach is stirred in when it's done. It's poured into a springform pan, chilled, then topped with grated Fontina or optional Parmesan, and baked. I did the work last night, then threw it in my now beloved countertop convection when I woke, topped with the shredded Fontina and baked until melted and lightly browned. This made a great and very different breakfast with all the warmth of a good bowl of oatmeal. I've never put garlic in polenta before and I loved it! I did double the cheese and portion, as the original recipe is an appetizer serving.
The second was Parmesan Polenta with Sausage & Mushrooms from October 2000. I absolutely loved this! The polenta is a simple and basic one and the sauce isn't much more complicated, just browned chunks of turkey sausage, 16 oz. of presliced button mushrooms, tomato and a handful of fresh basil thrown in at the end. The sauce is served over the polenta, and simple as this is, it's really delicious. The polenta here was very wimpy with the parmesan totally disappearing. I did add a fourth sausage (I used sweet) so there was one whole sausage per serving. I'll definitely do this again, but I think I'll use the polenta from the Fontina version (not necessarily baked) and top it with this sauce next time. But I'm sure I'll do it again as it's quick, simple and very hearty.
I did use regular yellow Indian River cornmeal for both of these, which were chosen because of the sea of sale priced mushrooms and spinach that I almost drowned in! :eek:
Bob
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Parmesan Polenta with Sausage and Mushrooms
3 (3-ounce) links hot turkey Italian sausage
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 (8-ounce) packages presliced mushrooms
2 tablespoons chopped fresh or 2 teaspoons dried basil
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
4 cups water
1 cup instant polenta (such as Contadina)
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Pierce sausages; cut each diagonally into 1-inch pieces. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage; cook 3 minutes or until browned. Add the wine and mushrooms; cover, reduce heat, and cook 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Remove sausage from pan. Cook the mushroom mixture over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Stir in the basil and tomatoes; cook 1 minute or until heated. Return sausage to pan; keep warm.While sauce is simmering, prepare polenta. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan; stir in polenta, garlic powder, sugar, and salt. Reduce heat to low; cook until thick (about 5 minutes), stirring frequently. Stir in cheese. Serve with sausage mixture.
Yield: 5 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup sauce and 3/4 cup polenta)
CALORIES 288 (30% from fat); FAT 9.5g (satfat 3.3g, monofat 3.6g, polyfat 2.4g); PROTEIN 18.2g; CARBOHYDRATE 35.1g; FIBER 1.6g; CHOLESTEROL 58mg; IRON 2.5mg; SODIUM 689mg; CALCIUM 95mg;
Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2000
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Polenta with Fontina and Spinach
Fontina is one of the great cheeses of Italy. It has a mild, creamy flavor and melts well, making it super-versatile. You can use almost any cheese in this side dish, though; try Parmesan for a sharper, nutty flavor.
Olive oil-flavored cooking spray
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups chopped spinach (about 3 1/2 ounces)
2 cups water
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 cup polenta
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded fontina or Parmesan cheese
Heat a medium nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add spinach; cook 1 minute or until spinach wilts. Remove from heat.Combine water and broth in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Gradually add polenta, stirring constantly with a whisk. Reduce heat to medium; cook 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in spinach mixture, salt, and pepper.Spoon polenta mixture evenly into a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Press plastic wrap onto surface of polenta; chill 2 hours or until firm.Preheat oven to 400°.Remove polenta from pan; place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over polenta. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until cheese melts and begins to brown. Remove from oven; cool 5 minutes. Cut polenta into wedges, using a sharp knife. Serve immediately.
Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 wedge)
CALORIES 126 (30% from fat); FAT 4.2g (satfat 1.7g, monofat 0.6g, polyfat 0.2g); PROTEIN 5.7g; CARBOHYDRATE 16.9g; FIBER 1.9g; CHOLESTEROL 9mg; IRON 1.8mg; SODIUM 419mg; CALCIUM 106mg;
Cooking Light, MAY 2002[/B]
The first, Polenta with Fontina and Spinach, is from May 2002. The polenta is cooked the normal way with briefly sauteed garlic, then chopped spinach is stirred in when it's done. It's poured into a springform pan, chilled, then topped with grated Fontina or optional Parmesan, and baked. I did the work last night, then threw it in my now beloved countertop convection when I woke, topped with the shredded Fontina and baked until melted and lightly browned. This made a great and very different breakfast with all the warmth of a good bowl of oatmeal. I've never put garlic in polenta before and I loved it! I did double the cheese and portion, as the original recipe is an appetizer serving.
The second was Parmesan Polenta with Sausage & Mushrooms from October 2000. I absolutely loved this! The polenta is a simple and basic one and the sauce isn't much more complicated, just browned chunks of turkey sausage, 16 oz. of presliced button mushrooms, tomato and a handful of fresh basil thrown in at the end. The sauce is served over the polenta, and simple as this is, it's really delicious. The polenta here was very wimpy with the parmesan totally disappearing. I did add a fourth sausage (I used sweet) so there was one whole sausage per serving. I'll definitely do this again, but I think I'll use the polenta from the Fontina version (not necessarily baked) and top it with this sauce next time. But I'm sure I'll do it again as it's quick, simple and very hearty.
I did use regular yellow Indian River cornmeal for both of these, which were chosen because of the sea of sale priced mushrooms and spinach that I almost drowned in! :eek:
Bob
**********************************
Parmesan Polenta with Sausage and Mushrooms
3 (3-ounce) links hot turkey Italian sausage
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 (8-ounce) packages presliced mushrooms
2 tablespoons chopped fresh or 2 teaspoons dried basil
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
4 cups water
1 cup instant polenta (such as Contadina)
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Pierce sausages; cut each diagonally into 1-inch pieces. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage; cook 3 minutes or until browned. Add the wine and mushrooms; cover, reduce heat, and cook 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Remove sausage from pan. Cook the mushroom mixture over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Stir in the basil and tomatoes; cook 1 minute or until heated. Return sausage to pan; keep warm.While sauce is simmering, prepare polenta. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan; stir in polenta, garlic powder, sugar, and salt. Reduce heat to low; cook until thick (about 5 minutes), stirring frequently. Stir in cheese. Serve with sausage mixture.
Yield: 5 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup sauce and 3/4 cup polenta)
CALORIES 288 (30% from fat); FAT 9.5g (satfat 3.3g, monofat 3.6g, polyfat 2.4g); PROTEIN 18.2g; CARBOHYDRATE 35.1g; FIBER 1.6g; CHOLESTEROL 58mg; IRON 2.5mg; SODIUM 689mg; CALCIUM 95mg;
Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2000
************************************
Polenta with Fontina and Spinach
Fontina is one of the great cheeses of Italy. It has a mild, creamy flavor and melts well, making it super-versatile. You can use almost any cheese in this side dish, though; try Parmesan for a sharper, nutty flavor.
Olive oil-flavored cooking spray
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups chopped spinach (about 3 1/2 ounces)
2 cups water
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 cup polenta
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded fontina or Parmesan cheese
Heat a medium nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add spinach; cook 1 minute or until spinach wilts. Remove from heat.Combine water and broth in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Gradually add polenta, stirring constantly with a whisk. Reduce heat to medium; cook 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in spinach mixture, salt, and pepper.Spoon polenta mixture evenly into a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Press plastic wrap onto surface of polenta; chill 2 hours or until firm.Preheat oven to 400°.Remove polenta from pan; place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over polenta. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until cheese melts and begins to brown. Remove from oven; cool 5 minutes. Cut polenta into wedges, using a sharp knife. Serve immediately.
Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 wedge)
CALORIES 126 (30% from fat); FAT 4.2g (satfat 1.7g, monofat 0.6g, polyfat 0.2g); PROTEIN 5.7g; CARBOHYDRATE 16.9g; FIBER 1.9g; CHOLESTEROL 9mg; IRON 1.8mg; SODIUM 419mg; CALCIUM 106mg;
Cooking Light, MAY 2002[/B]