Polenta With Braised Root Vegetables
- Total Time
- 1 hour 40 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1cup polenta
- 1scant teaspoon salt
- 4cups water
- 1tablespoon unsalted butter
- ¼ to ⅓cup freshly grated Parmesan (optional)
- 1tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1small onion, finely chopped
- ½pound kohlrabi, peeled and cut in small dice
- ½pound carrots, peeled and cut in small dice
- 1medium parsnip, peeled, cored and cut in small dice
- 1large or 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 1(14-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice or crushed tomatoes
- Pinch of sugar
- Salt
- freshly ground pepper
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
335 calories; 10 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 53 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams dietary fiber; 10 grams sugars; 10 grams protein; 1301 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter or oil a 2-quart baking dish. Combine the polenta, salt and water in the baking dish. Place in the oven on a baking sheet. Bake 50 minutes. Stir in the butter, and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until the polenta is soft and all of the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in the cheese, if using.
- Step 2
While the polenta is baking, cook the vegetables. Heat the oil in a large, heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until it begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the carrots, kohlrabi and parsnip, and then season with salt. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, and stir together for about a minute until fragrant. Stir in the tomatoes with their liquid, a pinch of sugar and salt to taste. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 15 minutes until the tomatoes are cooked down and fragrant. Add lots of freshly ground pepper, taste and adjust salt, and remove from the heat.
- Step 3
Serve the polenta with the vegetables spooned on top.
- Advance preparation: You can make the vegetable topping a day or two ahead, and reheat on top of the stove. It’s best to serve the polenta when it comes out of the oven, though it can sit for five minutes. Alternatively, allow to cool and stiffen in the baking dish, or scrape into a lightly oiled or buttered bread pan and cool; then slice and layer in the pan, and reheat in a medium oven or in a microwave.
Private Notes
Comments
You can also make the polenta in the microwave a bit faster - about half the time. Be sure to use a covered bowl large enough to allow for boiling without boiling over, such as a pyrex bowl with a plate on top. I usually start on high until it reaches boiling, 5+ minutes, then continue at 75% power for 10 min and check to see how it's doing. WHY do it like this? If you live in hot zone of the country, and seldom like to heat the house with the oven .....
Have substituted many root veggies in this recipe- Golden Beets, turnips, etc in many different variations. Also I love to use some homemade chicken broth in place of some of the water for the polenta, makes it extra yummy!
This is a pretty forgettable meal. I made it because I had a bunch of root vegetables from the farmers market. It was good and I enjoyed it but would probably not make it again. Having said that, I do like this oven way of making polenta. It came out much creamier and with a nicer consistency than stovetop preparation. No need to stand over it and stir obsessively!
Had only a large carrot and a small celeriac. Didn’t have any canned tomatoes but had a large red tomato, so diced it up and added a little water. This was very good, I thought. The oven technique for polenta is genius and why did I never hear of it before since I’ve been cooking 50 years? Nice recipe.
I agree with others that the veggies were underwhelming (and some still crunchy!), but this is a good way to cook polenta. I sprinkled the top with Parmesan and broiled for two minutes at the end.
To my surprise the polenta was done in 30 minutes, not the 60 minutes the recipe suggests. I subbed rutabaga for the kohlrabi and gave it a ten minute head start in the sauté. I added some minced fresh sage during the simmer and a handful of parsley just before serving. It was a perfect accompaniment to a porketta.
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