Polenta With White Bean And Roasted Pepper Ragout Recipes

Steps:

• In a large heavy saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and saute, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more, until its aroma is released.
• Add the chicken stock, water, and salt to the pan and increase the heat to medium high. When the liquid is simmering, gradually sprinkle the polenta over in a very slow, thin stream, whisking constantly in the same direction until all the grains are incorporated and no lumps remain. Reduce the heat to very low. Switch to a wooden paddle and stir thoroughly every few minutes for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan and the grains of polenta have softened. Stir in the butter, thyme, pepper, and grated Manchego and remove from the heat. Spoon some polenta into each of 6 warmed shallow soup bowls and top with some of the roasted peppers and chopped cilantro.

Steps:

• Bring broth and 2 cups water to a simmer in a saucepan over medium-high heat; season with salt. Slowly add polenta, whisking constantly. Simmer, stirring frequently and reducing heat as needed, until thick and creamy, 20 to 25 minutes for regular, or about 5 minutes for quick-cooking. Remove from heat; cover.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat; swirl in oil. Add garlic, celery, and pepper flakes; cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in roasted peppers and beans; season with salt and pepper. Cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup water and bring to a simmer; cook, mashing some of beans to create a creamy sauce, until thickened slightly, about 2 minutes. Serve over polenta, drizzled with oil and sprinkled with celery leaves.

Steps:

• To make the beans, preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Fill a small saucepan with enough water to cover the garlic. When water boils add garlic and cook one minute. Drain and repeat this procedure three times -- it will eliminate the harshness and leave the flavor. Mash the garlic with garlic press; set aside.
• Lightly oil a roasting pan and place tomatoes in pan. Roast 10 to 15 minutes, turning once, until juice is released and skins have puckered. When tomatoes are ready, peel and add to pot large enough to hold all the ingredients for the beans.
• Add the garlic, sage, stock and beans. Simmer until mixture is thick and most of the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt if desired and pepper.
• To make the polenta meanwhile, boil water in small pot with the butter, milk and salt.
• When water boils, reduce heat slightly and slowly whisk in polenta. Reduce heat to very low and cook the polenta 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
• To serve, spoon polenta into a shallow bowl or plate and spoon bean sauce over top.

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven over medium heat, cook and stir peppers in oil until tender. Add the sweet potato and rosemary; cook for 4-5 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer., Stir in water and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5-7 minutes or until sweet potato is tender. Stir in the beans, tomatoes and salt; heat through., Serve immediately, or cool before placing in a freezer container. Cover and freeze for up to 3 months. , To use frozen ragout: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Place in a Dutch oven; heat through.

Steps:

• Make the mushroom ragout:
• In a large deep skillet cook the onion, the garlic, and the rosemary in the oil over moderate heat, stirring, until the onion is softened, add the mushrooms and salt to taste, and cook the mixture over moderately high heat, stirring, for 10 minutes, or until the liquid the mushrooms give off is evaporated. Stir in the tomato paste and the wine and boil the mushroom mixture until most of the liquid is evaporated. In a small bowl stir the cornstarch into the broth, add the mixture and the Worcestershire sauce to the mushroom mixture, and bring the ragout to a boil, stirring. Simmer the ragout for 2 minutes and season it with salt and pepper.
• Make the polenta:
• In a large heavy saucepan bring the water with the oil to a boil and add 1 cup of the cornmeal, a little at a time, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to low, add the remaining 1 cup cornmeal in a slow stream, stirring constantly, and bring the mixture to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter, 2/3 cup of the Parmesan, the parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Spread one third of the polenta evenly in a buttered 13- by 9-inch baking dish and chill the polenta sheet for 20 minutes, or until it is firm. While the polenta is chilling, working quickly, spread half the remaining polenta in a buttered 3-quart shallow baking dish, top it with half the mushroom ragout, and top the ragout with the mozzarella. Spread the remaining polenta quickly over the mozzarella and top it with the remaining ragout.
• Invert the polenta sheet onto a work surface and with 1 or more star-shaped cutters cut out as many stars as possible. Arrange the stars decoratively on the ragout and sprinkle them with the remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan. The layered polenta may be prepared up to this point 2 days in advance and kept covered and chilled.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake the layered polenta in the upper third of the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the polenta stars are golden.