• Crockpot N.Y. Times - 43

    From Dave Drum@1:18/200 to All on Mon Apr 1 17:42:16 2024
    MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06

    Title: Slow Cooker Pumpkin-Parmesan Polenta
    Categories: Squash, Vegetables, Herbs, Cheese
    Yield: 10 servings

    2 c (12 oz) traditional or
    - stone-ground polenta (not
    - instant or quick-cooking)
    30 oz (2 cans) pumpkin purée
    12 tb Unsalted butter
    1 1/2 tb Kosher salt; more for
    - seasoning
    Black pepper
    1 Thyme sprig
    1 bn Fresh sage (5 to 8 sprigs)
    1 ts Freshly grated nutmeg; more
    - for topping
    8 oz Cream cheese; room temp
    10 oz Grated Parmesan; more for
    - serving

    SLOW COOKER METHOD:

    In a 6 to 8 quart slow cooker, whisk together the
    polenta with 10 cups of water, then whisk in the
    pumpkin. Scatter in 4 tablespoons butter, cut into bits;
    the salt; a generous amount of pepper; the thyme sprig;
    1 sprig of the sage; and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg. Cook on
    low for 6 hours, whisking once or twice if possible.
    (This can hold very well on warm for several hours.)

    Break the cream cheese into pieces and drop them into
    the polenta; whisk to melt the cream cheese and combine.
    Remove and discard the herb sprigs. Stir in the
    remaining 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg, then stir in the
    grated Parmesan. Taste and add more salt if necessary.

    In a medium skillet, melt the remaining 8 tablespoons
    butter over medium-high heat. Pick the leaves from the
    remaining sage sprigs, and when the butter is melted,
    drop them in. Cook the butter and the sage, swirling the
    pan often, until the butter solids start to turn
    medium-brown and smell toasty, 3 to 5 minutes. (Don’t
    walk away; butter goes from browned to burned in
    seconds.) Remove the pan from the heat immediately and
    swirl the browned butter-sage mixture into the polenta.
    Serve the polenta in a large platter or shallow bowl,
    topped with a bit more Parmesan and more nutmeg if
    desired.

    STOVETOP METHOD:

    In a large pot, bring 10 cups of water to boil over high
    heat. Add the polenta in a steady steam while whisking
    constantly. Reduce the heat to low or medium-low. (You
    want the polenta-water mixture to be steaming hot, but
    not boiling.) Continue to whisk constantly for about 3
    minutes, until the polenta and water have formed a
    smooth mixture. Whisk in the pumpkin, 4 tablespoons
    butter, the salt, a generous amount of pepper, the thyme
    sprig, 1 sage sprig and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg. Once all
    the ingredients are combined, cover and cook for 40
    minutes, whisking well every 10 minutes.

    Uncover the pot and cook for about 1 hour more, whisking
    every 10 minutes, until the polenta is smooth and
    tender, and the mixture has thickened and is creamy but
    not runny.

    Break the cream cheese into small pieces and drop them
    into the polenta; whisk to melt the cream cheese and
    combine. Remove and discard the herb sprigs. Stir in the
    remaining 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg and the grated
    Parmesan. Taste and add more salt if necessary.

    Melt the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter over
    medium-high heat in a medium skillet. Pick the leaves
    from the remaining sage sprigs and when the butter is
    melted, drop them in. Cook the butter and the sage,
    swirling the pan often, until the butter solids start to
    turn medium brown and smell toasty, 3 to 5 minutes.
    (Don’t walk away; butter goes from browned to burned in
    seconds.) Remove the pan from the heat immediately and
    swirl the browned butter-sage mixture into the polenta.
    Serve the polenta in a large platter or shallow bowl,
    topped with a bit more Parmesan and more nutmeg if
    desired.

    TIP: Refrigerated leftovers will solidify; you can cut
    it into into slices and gently warm them in oil in a
    skillet. Or, to make the dish a day ahead re-warm the
    polenta in a pot over medium heat, whisking in splashes
    of boiling water, until the polenta is creamy again and
    warmed through.

    By: Sarah DiGregorio

    Yield: About 10 servings

    RECIPE FROM: https://cooking.nytimes.com

    Uncle Dirty Dave's Archives

    MMMMM

    ... "It's a dangerous business - going out your front door" -- J. R. R. Tolkien --- MultiMail/Win v0.52
    * Origin: Outpost BBS * Johnson City, TN (1:18/200)