Butternut Squash Polenta With Sausage Onion Recipe 465

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
• Arrange the bacon in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake until crispy, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove to a cutting board.
• Add the butternut squash to the baking sheet. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few cracks black pepper. Toss the squash until it is fully coated in the bacon fat and spices. Bake until the squash is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside. Leave the oven on.
• Meanwhile, spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the thyme, paprika and garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Season with salt and pepper.
• Pour in the chicken stock and 2 cups water. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any remaining browned bits. Bring to a boil and slowly add the polenta, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the polenta is thickened and cooked, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, then taste for seasoning. Whisk together the eggs and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan in a bowl or measuring cup. Whisk the egg mixture into the polenta, then pour the polenta into the prepared baking dish.
• Chop the bacon and mix it into the squash. Spoon the squash and bacon evenly over the polenta, then use a spatula or your hands to press it into the warm polenta. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan. Bake until set and brown on top, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool to room temperature, then cut into squares and serve as finger food.

Steps:

• Cook pasta to desired doneness as directed on package. Drain; cover to keep warm.
• Meanwhile, in 12-inch nonstick skillet, cook sausage as directed on package. Remove sausage and drippings from skillet; discard drippings.
• Add 2 tablespoons of the oil to same skillet. Heat over medium-low heat until hot. Add squash; cover and cook 10 minutes or until almost tender, stirring occasionally.
• Add onions; cover and cook 3 to 5 minutes or until squash is fork-tender, stirring occasionally.
• Add cooked sausage, cooked pasta, sugar, salt, marjoram, mustard and remaining 1 tablespoon oil; mix well. Cook 3 to 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally.

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.

Steps:

• Position an oven rack about 5 inches from the broiling element, and preheat the broiler.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large high-sided skillet over medium-high heat. While the pan is heating, thinly slice the onion; set aside about 1/3 cup for the salad.
• Add the sausage to the pan, and break it up into smaller chunks with a wooden spoon. Stir periodically until it is brown all over, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining onion and the squash. Stir for a minute, then add the tomatoes, 2 tablespoons water, 3/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cover partially, and let simmer vigorously, stirring occasionally, until reduced and thick, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, slice the polenta into 1/4-inch rounds. Butter the flameproof baking dish, and shingle the rounds in one layer. Dot the polenta with the pieces of butter. Place the dish under the broiler, and broil the polenta until it is hot and soft, about 4 minutes.
• When the sauce is ready, spread it over the broiled polenta. Top with the fontina and grated Parmesan. Return the casserole to the broiler, and broil until the top is browned and bubbly, about 3 minutes.
• Meanwhile, toss the spinach in a large bowl with the reserved onion, the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, the balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve the casserole with the spinach salad on the side.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place squash halves in a shallow pan and cover with water.
• Roast in the preheated oven until tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool partially, about 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir sausage in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes; do not drain fat. Add onion and garlic to sausage and cook and stir over medium-high heat until onion has softened, about 5 minutes.
• Remove flesh from squash, leaving 1/3-inch flesh in the shell to keep it sturdy. Mix squash flesh, sausage mixture, Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, parsley, oregano, and cayenne together in a bowl. Stuff squash shells with mixture.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat broiler. Cut squash lengthwise in half; discard seeds. Place squash in a large microwave-safe dish, cut side down; add 1/2 in. of water. Microwave, covered, on high until soft, 20-25 minutes. Cool slightly., Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, cook and crumble sausage with onion over medium-high heat until no longer pink, 5-7 minutes. Add garlic; cook and stir 1 minute., Leaving 1/2-in.-thick shells, scoop flesh from squash and stir it into sausage mixture. Place squash shells on a baking sheet; fill with sausage mixture. Sprinkle with cheese., Broil 4-5 in. from heat until cheese is melted, 1-2 minutes. If desired, sprinkle with pepper flakes. To serve, cut each half into 2 portions.

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.)

Steps:

• Cook onion in 3 tablespoons butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until very soft, about 8 minutes. Stir in squash and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes.
• Bring water, milk, salt, and pepper to a boil in a 4-quart heavy pot. Add polenta in a thin stream, whisking. Cook polenta at a bare simmer, stirring with a long-handled whisk and turning down heat as needed to prevent spattering, 5 minutes.
• Stir in squash mixture and cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Remove from heat, then stir in cheese and remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Place pecans on an ungreased baking sheet. Toast at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 5 to 8 minutes.
• Peel the squash, and remove the seeds. Cut into 1/2 inch cubes. There will be about 6 cups squash.
• Melt butter or margarine in a heavy large skillet over low heat. Add onion and saute until very tender, about 15 minutes. Add squash and toss to coat. Cover. Cook until squash is tender but still holds it shape, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm over medium heat before continuing.
• Stir in half of the pecans and half of the parsley. Transfer mixture to bowl. Sprinkle with remaining pecans and parsley. Serve.