Polenta With Autumn Squash And Pancetta Food

POLENTA WITH PEAS AND PANCETTA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in sauce pot over medium-high heat. Add pancetta and cook until crisp, 5 minutes then remove to a plate. Add the liquids to the sauce pot and bring to boil. Whisk polenta into the liquid and continue to whisk 2 to 3 minutes to thicken. Season with salt and pepper and stir in peas to heat through 1 minute more. Remove from heat, stir in cheese and adjust seasoning. Garnish with pancetta.

POLENTA WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Arrange squash, cut side up, in large roasting pan. Place garlic cloves in squash cavities. Drizzle oil over. Sprinkle with dried sage, salt and pepper. Cover with foil and bake until squash is tender, about 1 hour 35 minutes. Cool slightly. Peel squash and garlic. Transfer to processor and puree.
• Combine broth, 1 3/4 cups water and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in heavy large saucepan. Bring to boil. Gradually whisk in polenta. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until mixture is very thick and creamy, stirring often, about 20 minutes. Stir in fresh sage and 3 cups squash puree (reserve any remaining puree for another use). Cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in cheese. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Stir over medium-low heat until heated through.)

CHESTNUT POLENTA WITH PANCETTA, BALSAMIC VINEGAR, AND RICOTTA: PATTONA

Steps:

• Boil the water in a large saucepan and add salt. Once boiling, remove from the heat and pour into a copper pot. Add the flour and, with a wooden paddle, create a hole in the middle of the mixture so that the water begins to bubble over. Place on the stove and simmer slowly for 40 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and beat vigorously with the paddle/wooden spoon until the polenta forms a smooth, firm consistency. Place the mixture on a wooden board, and shape into a large ball with your hands (cold water will help keep your hands cool). Allow to cool for 30 minutes.
• In the meantime, cut the pancetta into small cubes and saute in a frying pan with the olive oil. Once the pancetta has turned a golden brown, splash the balsamic vinegar into the pan and allow the pancetta to caramelize with the sweet vinegar. It is now ready to serve with the polenta.
• Assemble the dish onto a plate: a wedge of polenta, pancetta and a fresh slice of ricotta cheese. The flavors will balance each other perfectly and all you need is a generous drizzle of olive oil and thyme and marjoram to garnish.

POLENTA WITH AUTUMN SQUASH AND PANCETTA

Steps:

• 1. Bring 7 cups salted water to a boil in a heavy medium saucepan over high heat. Gradually whisk cornmeal into boiling water. Let return to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until very thick and shiny, about 40 minutes. Monitor pot so mixture doesn't boil over, decreasing heat if necessary. Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if necessary. Season with pepper and then stir in butter, thyme and half of Parmesan. Taste and add salt if necessary. 2. Preheat broiler and set rack about 7 inches below flame. Grease an 18- by 13-inch shallow roasting pan with 1 tablespoon oil. Spread hot polenta out into pan. Let cool 10 minutes. 3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, toss squash, red peppers and scallions with salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons oil. Set aside. 4. Top cooled polenta with pancetta. Place pan under broiler and cook until pancetta starts to crisp, 4-5 minutes. Remove from broiler and evenly distribute squash-red pepper mixture over polenta. Return pan to broiler and cook until vegetables are tender and start to brown, 5-6 minutes more. (The squash will brown the quickest because it has so much sugar in it, but a little char on the edges adds texture and flavor.) 5. Remove polenta from broiler and top with remaining cheese, mint and basil. Drizzle with pomegranate molasses and remaining oil. Serve warm with a green salad.

POLENTA WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F Arrange squash, cut side up, in large roasting pan. Place garlic cloves in squash cavities. Drizzle oil over. Sprinkle with dried sage, salt and pepper. Bake until squash is tender, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Cool slightly. Peel squash and garlic. Transfer to processor and puree.
• Combine broth, 1 3/4 cups water and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in heavy large saucepan. Bring to boil. Gradually whisk in polenta. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until mixture is very thick and creamy, stirring often, about 20 minutes.
• Stir in fresh sage and 3 cups squash puree (reserve any remaining puree for another use). Cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH POLENTA WITH SAUSAGE AND ONION

Steps:

• In a large pot over medium-high heat, combine 4 1/2 cups water, the salt and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Slowly whisk in polenta. Stir in squash. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, until polenta and squash are very tender, 20 to 30 minutes. If the mixture gets too thick while cooking, add a little more water to the pot. Stir in butter and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
• While polenta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage, rosemary and fennel seeds if using. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is golden and cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes. (Do this in batches if necessary, adding oil if the pan looks dry.) Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.
• Add more oil to the skillet if it looks dry, then add onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender and golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Return sausage to pan and stir to heat through. Spoon polenta into bowls and top with sausage and onion, garnished with rosemary if you like.

SOFT POLENTA WITH ROAST SQUASH, KALE & HAZELNUTS

Steps:

• Boil the kettle, put the shallots in a bowl, pour over kettle-hot water and set aside for 10 mins. This will make them much easier to peel. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• Once cooled a little, drain and peel the shallots, and halve any large ones. In a large roasting tin, toss the shallots and squash with 1 tbsp oil and some seasoning. Roast for 25 mins.
• Add the thyme, garlic, chilli, nutmeg, kale, lemon zest and hazelnuts to the roasting tin. Season and toss with the remaining oil. Return to the oven for another 15 mins.
• While the vegetables are roasting, bring the stock to the boil in a saucepan. Pour in the polenta in a thin, steady stream, whisking continuously. Cook for 2-3 mins, then add the milk, season well and stir in the cheese. The polenta should have the consistency of loose mashed potato. Keep warm until ready to serve - the polenta will form a skin and thicken if left for too long, so cover with a piece of baking parchment, and stir in some extra milk if you need to.
• To serve, pour the warm polenta onto a large serving platter and top with the roasted veg. Squeeze over a little lemon juice and finish with some parmesan shavings.