Polenta with Gorgonzola Sauce

From the book Cooking for the Week by Diane Morgan, Dan Taggart, and Kathleen Taggart

Introduction

Polenta is Italian-style cornmeal mush, and is it good! Top it with a creamy Gorgonzola (Italian blue cheese) sauce and enjoy a special taste treat. The polenta that is not served soft with the sauce is spread in an oiled pan to become the basis for sautéed polenta squares later in the week. Look for polenta (coarsely ground cornmeal) in the supermarket where specialty flours are sold. Gorgonzola is delicious, but if not available, substitute another blue cheese such as Maytag or Oregon Blue.

Ingredients

Sauce

Steps

1. In a 4-quart heavy saucepan bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the 1 teaspoon salt. Pour the polenta into the boiling water in a steady stream, stirring briskly with a wooden spoon. Reduce heat to maintain a very slow boil. Be careful it does not boil too quickly, or it can spatter and burn the cook. Stir frequently until the polenta pulls away from the sides of the pan and a wooden spoon will stand upright in it, 20 to 30 minutes. Add pepper and more salt, if desired.

To Make The Sauce

1. While the polenta cooks combine the cheese, milk, and cream in a 1-quart saucepan. Warm over very low heat until the cheese is melted and the sauce has thickened slightly. Add the salt and stir.
2. When ready to serve, oil a 10-by-15-inch jelly roll pan and place it near the polenta. Place ½ cup soft polenta on each of 4 warm dinner plates. Make a well in the center of each mound with the back of a spoon. Place the plates back in a warm oven for a couple of minutes while you spoon the rest of polenta out into the prepared pan. Spread the polenta out with wet hands until it is a rectangular shape about ½ inch thick. Do not worry if it does not fill the pan. Let cool, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.
3. Take the plates from the oven and pour Gorgonzola sauce into the wells in each mound of polenta. Serve immediately.

Notes

• Serves 4 (1/2 cup each), with the rest reserved for Sauteed Polenta Squares

This content is from the book Cooking for the Week by Diane Morgan, Dan Taggart, and Kathleen Taggart.