Ok, so we are flat broke, and grateful that our area has several food banks. I have been trying to keep the level of cooking up. This is an example. It has a sort of twist. The day I had described what I thought I would do, Rachel Ray did something similar on her show. I am thinking I should claim she stole my idea, but I think it is merely a matter of simultaneous inspiration.
I make this in a cast iron pan but any 10 or 12-inch oven proof skillet will work. I serve it from the pan. I suppose you could use a buttered 9 x 13 casserole or baing pan with the ragu spooned down the center
I make this in a cast iron pan but any 10 or 12-inch oven proof skillet will work. I serve it from the pan. I suppose you could use a buttered 9 x 13 casserole or baing pan with the ragu spooned down the center
Ingredients
- 1# pork breakfast sausage. (I plan to try Italian sausage soon)
- 1 large sweet or white onion
- 1# "baby bella" mushrooms
- 1# carrots
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 Tbl dried Basil, or 2Tbl fresh leaves, chopped
- 2 Tbl tomato paste
- 2 Tbl ketchup
- 1 C. Cottage Cheese (plain or chives added)
- 2 C. polenta or yellow grits
- 8 C. stock (chicken, miso, or vegetable, in a pinch substitute water.)
- 2 oz. cream cheese
- 3 Tbl unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup (or more) freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese plus more for finishing.
- olive oil for frying
- Salt
- Pepper
First make the meat sauce - ragu.
- Chop onion into 1/2" pieces.
- Cut carrots into 1/8# slices.
- Over medium-high heat, add olive 1 - 2 Tbl olive oil, add sausage, and break into small pieces as it browns. Use a slotted spoon to remove from pan, leaving any rendered oil.
- Add onions, carrots and mushrooms. Cook stirring gently until the mushrooms dry (they will release liquid) and the onions are clear. Add a little olive oil if they want to stick.
- Add tomato paste, and garlic stir until the sauce has lost its red color, is light brown and coats the veggies.
- Add meat, and any accumulated juices. Stir together to combine, remove from pan, stir in basil, and set aside.
Drain the Cheese
- pour the cottage cheese into a fine mesh strainer or a colander lined with a coffee filter. Set over a bowl to drain.
Make the Polenta
- Using the same pan, stir two cups of polenta into 6 cups of broth. Bring to a simmer. Add 2 tsp salt, and as much as 1/4 tsp pepper.
- Using a separate sauce pan, or in a microwave, bring another 2 cups of broth, and the whey drained from the cottage cheese to a simmer.
- Bring to a simmer, and cook, slowly, until the liquid is nearly absorbed, about 25 minutes.
- Stir in the 2 cups of broth,1/2 cup at a time, cooking until the broth is invisible after each addition..
- Stir in cream cheese, butter, and grated cheese. Stir to mix completely.
- Remove from heat.
Finish
- Let the polenta rest 5 minutes.
- Carefully spoon the warm ragu into the center of the pan. As you do this, the level of the polenta around the pan will rise. Spoon it all in.
- Spoon cottage cheese over the ragu.
- Generously grate Parmesan or Romano cheese over the entire dish.
- Warm in oven or broiler until the cheese melts and slightly browns.
- Serve
2 comments:
Mmmm, sounds good! Really sorry about your financial state, Jim. If not for living w my 95 yo father, I'd be right there w/ ya...
Thanks! It really is good, and it reheats in a microwave, so leftovers are welcome. We get two meals out of it. I recommend Merlot or Guinness....
Hang on to your dad. I so miss mine.
FWIW
jimB
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