Cauliflower + Mushroom Ragu over Cheesy Polenta

This weekend was all about a cozy, festive weekend at home. We kick-started with a festive night at the taproom for our 5th annual ugly sweater party, got to mingle with friends + sport some holiday wear. And it was fun to go out. But my guy is a little immobile at the moment thanks to a little back procedure that has left him with a few stitches and a bit of discomfort, so it set us up to get comfy + cozy at home. Games, good food, Christmas movies, & Christmas drinks. That was pretty much the agenda. On the menu for a night in (for just us 2) - Cauliflower + Mushroom Ragu over Cheesy Polenta. Chosen because I thought it would pair well with a bottle of red wine (something about cracking open a bottle that seems pretty nice during the holidays), and though we swapped wine for holiday cocktails, it was a nice dinner to share with just us two. We both got in the kitchen and cooked together, which is always something that makes the dinner routine feel much more special, and I was glad Jordan felt up to getting in the kitchen. Maybe he felt a bit revived (?). Regardless it was a nice little evening date in the kitchen that brought us together. Served with a side of parmesan roasted broccoli for another added veggie, and it was really delicious.

 
 

Polenta is my FAVORITE. When I started the cooking process I pulled out that bag of polenta and said to Jordan “& my favorite part of this dinner will be this.” This go around, polenta was that little bit of “indulgence.”. I amped it up with a generous amount of mascarpone cheese that made it creamy + buttery + rich. And it was so yummy and fairly easy to put together. What wasn’t so easy to put together was the sauce, which I had to make twice because I burnt it the first go around, but it all came together and I was just very thankful I had the extra ingredients hanging out in the pantry to go for round two.

Very yummy, very homestyle, and not really too much of refinement. I’m sure you could do more with the presentation aspect, but it checks the box for “would make again” & it hit the spot for a night where I was craving Italian but didn’t want to go full send with a pasta. I’m going to keep living in ignorance in regards to the exact calorie count of polenta vs pasta, but for now it’s living in my mind as the better choice.

For the sauce

  • EVOO

  • 1/2 lb of sliced mushrooms

  • 1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets

  • 6-8 cloves garlic (I went for the full 8)

  • 1 yellow onion, diced

  • 2 tbsp tomato pasta

  • 1 can of San Marzano tomatoes

  • Salt + pepper

  • pinch of red pepper flakes

  • 1/4 - 1/2 c. chicken broth

  • 2-3 tbsp fresh basil, thinly sliced

For the broccoli

  • EVOO

  • 2 head of broccoli, cut into florets

  • Salt + pepper

  • 1/4 c. walnuts

  • 1/4 c. parmesan cheese

For the polenta

  • 1 c. dry polenta

  • 4 c. water

  • Salt + pepper

  • 1/4 c. mascarpone

Start by prepping the veggies. Preheat the oven to 425. Get one small baking sheet + one large baking sheet, lining each with parchment paper. On one sheet, lay the mushrooms in a layer, toss with about 1 tbsp of EVOO + a pinch of salt and pepper. On the larger baking sheet, place the broccoli florets (for the side) on one half and cauliflower florets on the other. Toss each with EVOO, salt , and pepper. Place all the veggies in the oven, roasting the mushrooms for 20 minutes and broccoli + cauliflower for 45 minutes.

At the 20 minute mark, remove the mushrooms. Sprinkle the walnuts + parmesan over the broccoli, and continue to roast.

Move to making the sauce (because you want to go low + slow). Place a skillet over medium heat and add in 3 tbsp of EVOO. Add in the garlic + onions, stirring and cooking until the onion is tender (about 8-10 minutes). Add in the tomato pasta, and cook for another 2 minutes. Add in the San Marzonos, a pinch of salt + pepper, and the red pepper flakes. Bring the sauce to simmer, stir, and then reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Uncover, add in the basil, give it another stir, add in a 1/4 c. of broth, and continue to cook covered another 25-30 minutes (stirring every 10 minutes). Only add in more chicken broth if you need to thin the sauce.

In a large sauce pan, cook the polenta to the package instructions. For me, it’s 4 c. boiling water (get the water boiling before adding anything else) + 1 c. polenta. Whisk and stir until it begins to thicken, then reduce the heat to low + cook for 20 minutes. At that point, add in a pinch of salt, pepper, and 4 ounces of mascarpone cheese. Stir until the mascarpone has completely blended in, and the polenta is smooth.

Finish making the sauce by adding the mushrooms + cauliflower to the tomato sauce (opportunity to add that additional broth if needed), and increase the heat to medium. Bring to a simmer, stir to coat the veggies, reduce the heat to medium low, and cook for 5 minutes.

Assemble the dish by spooning the polenta into the bottom of a bowl, scooping some ragu on top. Serve with the broccoli nestled on the side.

Lesley ZehnerComment