The great pumpkin polenta

This is one of the most satisfying meals I’ve made in months, and it’s vegetarian eating at its best: creamy polenta flavored with pumpkin, butter and Parmesan topped with herby white beans. I’ve featured  polenta recipes on Occasional Omnivore before, but the toppings, rather than humble corn meal, have been the star. In this dish, polenta carries equal weight.

Since I made this over Labor Day weekend, I didn’t take any shortcuts. I made a giant batch of great northern beans from scratch, reserving leftover beans for future meals. But you could use canned beans to save time. I also chopped part of a calabaza squash (a pumpkin-like squash frequently used in Cuban cuisine) for the polenta, but you could open a can of pumpkin puree instead. (However, I wouldn’t skimp on the side dish brussels sprouts—sprouts, olive oil, S&P, coarse-grain mustard and a pinch of sugar @ 450° for 30ish minutes—which one of our dinner guests ate like candy.)

This recipe really could work either as a weeknight or full-production weekend meal, it’s your choice—and chance for vegetarian greatness. 

White Beans with Rosemary and Sage
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 small onion, diced
8 fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced
2 (heaping) teaspoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
6 cups cooked white beans (navy, great northern, etc.), drained from cooking liquid
Salt and pepper

Instructions
Heat olive oil and butter in a large frying pan. Add onion, and cook until it just begins to turn golden, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle in sage and rosemary, and cook for 1 minute. Pour in beans, and cook at least 5 minutes—the beans should absorb some of the the herby flavor. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. 

Serves 6 to as polenta accompaniment 

Pumpkin Polenta
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups (or more) diced pumpkin or winter squash
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
2 cups milk
3 tablespoons butter
1 1/4 cups corn meal
Kosher salt and pepper
1 cup grated Parmesan

Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan. Add pumpkin and sautee for 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, and cook 3 minutes more. Add a 1/4 cup of  water to the pan, cover, and cook pumpkin until soft—5 to 8 minutes more. 

Pour the broth in with the pumpkin, and bring to a simmer. With an immersion blender, roughly blend the pumpkin, leaving it as chunky as you’d. Pour the milk into the pot, and bring to a boil.

Plunk in the butter, and whisk polenta into the pumpkin broth, breaking up any clumps. Go ahead and season liberally with salt (about 2 teaspoons) and pepper. 

Cook the polenta for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently. (It will thicken quickly.) Stir in 3/4 cup Parmesan, and make final adjustments with salt and pepper. 

Serve topped with white beans and remaining Parmesan cheese. 

Serves 6

Tagged as: great northern beans, polenta, pumpkin, rosemary, sage