Pumpkin Gratin Polenta With Spinach Mushrooms And Feta Food

PUMPKIN POLENTA WITH VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss the Brussels sprouts and butternut squash with the olive oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Spread in an even layer. Bake until tender and browned, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring 4 cups water, the milk and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in the polenta. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring often, until creamy, about 6 minutes. Whisk in the pumpkin puree. Cook, whisking, until warmed through, about 4 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the grated parmesan, butter and sage; season with salt. Top each serving with the roasted vegetables and shaved parmesan; drizzle with olive oil.

POTATO AND PUMPKIN GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 1-quart casserole dish.
• Slice the potatoes and pumpkin with a mandolin into 1/8-inch thick slices, using the mandolin's 3-millimeter setting.
• Place 1/2 of the pumpkin slices on the bottom of the prepared casserole dish. Season with salt and pepper, add 1/4 of the thyme, and 1/4 of the Gruyere cheese. Layer 1/2 of the potato slices on top, season with salt and pepper, add 1/4 of the thyme, and 1/4 of the Gruyere. Repeat pumpkin layer and potato layer each one more time, using up remaining seasoning and Gruyere.
• Pour half and half evenly over the top and cover with aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake another 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender and top is nicely browned. Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

SOFT POLENTA WITH MUSHROOMS AND SPINACH

Steps:

• In a pan, bring 3 cups water to a boil with a pinch of salt. Stir with a whisk as you sprinkle the polenta into the boiling water. Let the mixture cook for 3-5 minutes, or for the time given in the packet instructions. Add extra (boiling) water if necessary, the polenta should be nice and soft. Grate in nearly all of the Parmesan. Taste and season with freshly ground pepper and more salt, if necessary.
• When cooked, pour half of the polenta onto a flat plate that you've greased with olive oil, cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge for tomorrow.
• While the polenta cooks, sauté the mushrooms in a small splash of olive oil over a medium-high heat for around 10 minutes. Add the garlic at the end and cook briefly, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Remove the mushrooms from the pan and add the spinach. Stir-fry the spinach until just wilted. Remove the spinach from the pan and fry an egg (you might need to add another small splash of olive oil).
• Stir the butter into the cooked polenta and spoon it into a deep plate. Arrange the mushrooms and spinach on the polenta and top with the fried egg. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Top with the rest of the Parmesan, in slices.

CREAMY PUMPKIN POLENTA

Steps:

• In a large heavy saucepan, bring water and salt to a boil., Reduce heat to a gentle boil; slowly whisk in cornmeal and nutmeg. Cook and stir with a wooden spoon for 15-20 minutes or until polenta is thickened and pulls away cleanly from the sides of the pan. Stir in pumpkin and cream cheese until smooth. Sprinkle each serving with pumpkin seeds if desired.

POLENTA WITH MUSHROOMS AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°. Brush both sides of polenta slices with 1 tablespoon oil; place on a 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake 20-25 minutes on each side or until crisp., Meanwhile, in large skillet, heat remaining oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and shallot; cook and stir 12-14 minutes or until liquid has evaporated and mushrooms start to brown. Add sherry; cook, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan., In a small bowl, mix flour, salt and pepper; stir in broth until smooth. Stir into pan. Cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Add spinach; cook and stir over medium-low heat until slightly wilted, about 2 minutes., Arrange polenta on a platter; top with mushroom mixture.

CREAMY PUMPKIN POLENTA

Steps:

• Bring water or stock and salt to boil. Reduce heat to a simmer.
• Stir in pumpkin.
• SLOWLY pour in corn meal while continuously stirring.
• An easy way of doing this is to pick up handfuls of cornmeal and let it run through your fingers in a very SLOW stream. NEVER STOP STIRRING.
• If mixture gets too thick and impossible to stir, add more boiling liquid.
• Once cornmeal has been added, stir in the small pieces of cream cheese (a little at a time) until cheese is completely melted and incorporated into the mixture.
• Continue cooking and stirring for about twenty minutes.
• If you don't cook the polenta long enough, you won't achieve the proper creamy consistency.
• Continue to add additional liquid as necessary.
• The proper consistency should be that of a thick Cream Of Wheat Cereal.
• Your spoon should be able to stand straight up when stuck in the middle and the mixture should pull away from the sides of the pot.
• Serve with pat of butter and enjoy!

CREAMY POLENTA WITH SPINACH

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, bring the chicken broth, oil, garlic and 1 1/2 cups water to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and whisk in the polenta. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, about 10 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan, mascarpone, pecorino and butter. Cook, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Fold in the spinach and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes longer. Add 1/4 cup water if the mixture gets too thick.
• Pour the polenta into a large bowl and serve with grated Parmesan over the top.

PUMPKIN-POTATO GRATIN

Steps:

• Place potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine pumpkin, vegetable broth, white wine, and rosemary in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add onion and simmer for 10 minutes more. Remove rosemary sprig and season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Cut potatoes into thick slices and place 1/2 of the potatoes in a baking dish. Cover with 1/2 of the tomato slices and 1 teaspoon oregano leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with 1/2 of the Cheddar cheese.
• Pour pumpkin and cooking liquid on top. Cover with remaining potatoes and tomatoes. Sprinkle with remaining oregano. Mix remaining Cheddar cheese and bread crumbs together and evenly sprinkle over the top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cooked through and lightly browned on top, 25 to 40 minutes.

POLENTA GRATIN WITH SPINACH AND WILD MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the mushrooms and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 6 minutes.
• Add the shallot and cook over moderately low heat for 3 minutes. Add the spinach, thyme and nutmeg and cook over high heat until the spinach has wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Spread the spinach mixture evenly in a 1.5 quart baking dish. (can add pre-cooked chicken, shrimp or sausage).
• In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour over moderately high heat.
• Add the stock and cream and whisk until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper and pour over the spinach mixture.
• Sprinkle 1/2 cup Gruyère over spinach and sauce.
• Arrange the polenta slices next in overlapping concentric circles, pressing to submerge the polenta slightly.
• Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup Gruyère on the polenta, cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes.
• Preheat the broiler. Uncover the polenta and broil 6 inches from the heat for about 2 minutes, or until golden. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

PUMPKIN & POTATO GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6/fan 180C. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a frying pan and fry the onion until starting to soften (about 5 minutes). Lift the onions out with a slotted spoon and place in an ovenproof dish.
• Heat the remaining oil in the pan, then tip in the garlic, chilli, pumpkin chunks, chopped potatoes and sage and toss them together in the hot oil until lightly browned all over. (This takes 5-6 minutes.) Add to the dish containing the onion.
• Scatter the two sorts of cheese over the vegetables, season and toss together until well mixed. Combine the stock and cream and pour over the vegetables.
• Melt the butter in a frying pan and fry the breadcrumbs and walnuts together until lightly browned. Stir in the parsley and scatter the crumbly mixture over the top of the vegetables. Put in the oven for 25-30 minutes until bubbling and golden brown. Serve hot, with a chicory salad (see link, right).