The Army Wives Challenge: Polenta

Ingredient of the Week: Polenta
Cheesy Butternut Squash Polenta w/Seared Skirt Steak and Balsamic Mushrooms

Ingredients:

For Polenta

·         1 lb Butternut Squash (1” Dice)

·         1 Yellow Onion ( ¼” Diced)

·         2 Cups Corn Meal

·         6 Cups Chicken Broth

·         1/3 Cup Pine Nuts

·         1 TBSP Butter

·         4 OZ Smoked Gouda (Shredded)

·         1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

·         ½ Tsp Dried Sage

·         Olive Oil, Salt and Pepper

For Steak and Mushrooms

·         1 – 1.5 lb Skirt Steak

·         80z Baby Bella mushrooms (sliced)

·         1Cup beer (any kind, drink the rest)

·         1 TBSP Butter

·         ¼ cup Balsamic Vinegar

·         Salt and Pepper

Directions:

1.        Preheat the oven to 375°. Drizzle Olive Oil on diced squash, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and arrange on baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes, or until tender. Transfer squash to a bowl and mash. Set aside.

2.      Spread the pine nuts on a pie plate and toast in the oven for 4-6 minutes, until golden. Coarsely chop the nuts.  Set aside.

3.      While squash is cooking, Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.   Add the onion and sage and season with salt and pepper. Saute, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden, 15-20 minutes.

4.      In a large saucepan, bring the 6 cups of chicken broth to a boil. Whisk in the polenta and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook over very low heat, stirring frequently, until tender, about 10-15 minutes. Stir in butter along with the mashed squash, pine nuts, onion, Gouda and half of the grated Parmesan cheese. Pour the hot polenta into a large buttered cast-iron skillet.  Flatten the top of the polenta slightly without spreading it to the edges; refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours.

5.      Rub the surface of the polenta with softened butter and sprinkle with the remaining grated Parmesan cheese. Bake in a 375° oven for 1 hour, until the top and side is lightly browned and crisp. Let stand for 10-20 minutes before cutting it into wedges.

6.      When the polenta has 15 minutes remaining in the oven.  Heat a skillet over high heat.  Salt and pepper both sides of the skirt steak and drizzle with olive oil.  When skillet is super hot, sear the skirt steak for 3 minutes per side.  Remove from heat to an aluminum foil dome and let rest.

7.      Reduce heat to medium low and deglaze the pan with beer.  Once all the bits at the bottom of the pan are dissolved, add butter and mushrooms.  Salt and pepper to taste and allow mushrooms to cook down.  3-4 minutes.  Add balsamic vinegar and allow that to reduce down and absorb into the mushrooms 5 minutes.

8.     To plate, cut the polenta into 8 wedges and place one wedge on a plate.  Slice steak into thin strips against the grain.  Take 6 strips and place them on the either side of the wedge.  Top with a helping of mushrooms.  Bon Appétit!

I This was a delicious meal and I think it looks pretty spectacular coming out of the oven.  Heather gave it a 4.5 for both taste and creativity saying that there was ALWAYS room for improvement, but I could tell she liked it a lot.  I am not sure if I will make it again though because it just takes so darn long.  If I do make it again, I will try to find a way to make it a shorter cook time with out the 3 hour chill time.  Who wants to wait for ooey, gooey, goodness.