Creamy Polenta with Sausages and Roasted Grapes

*Post by Angela.

No, this is not a repeat post. I know, the creamy polenta recipe I posted back in February seems very similar. BUT, in this one, I make the polenta slightly differently! And this one subs in chicken sausage! And grapes!

Fine. You caught me. This is basically a repeat post. But this version of the polenta + sausage combination is really good, too.

• 2 1/2 cups water
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 3 tbsp butter
• 2-3 tsp salt (to taste)
• 1 cup medium-grind polenta
• 1/4 cup crème fraiche or sour cream
• 3 tbsp parmesan
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 pound chicken or turkey sausages
• 1/3 cup low-salt chicken broth
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 1 pound seedless red grapes, cut into bunches with stems attached
• 1/4 cup chopped shallots
• 1/3 cup dry white wine

First, I made the polenta. This time, I actually managed to find real polenta (as opposed to cornmeal)! In a large saucepan, I brought the water, milk and butter to a boil. I added the salt, then added the polenta, whisking constantly for 3 or 4 minutes until I had broken up all the lumps. I simmered it for 45 minutes partially covered (stirring every now and again) until the polenta was thick, smooth, and creamy. I removed the pan from heat, stirred in the crème fraiche and parmesan, and set it aside, covered.

Next, I preheated the oven to 450 degrees. I heated my cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat with just a bloop of olive oil (1-2 tbsp), added the sausages and fried them until they were nice and brown all over (about 5 minutes).

 

I added the broth, thyme sprigs, grapes, and shallots, gave it all a nice stir, then transferred the skillet to oven for about 15 minutes, turning grapes and sausages halfway through cooking time.

I removed the grapes and sausages from the skillet, and added in the wine over high heat heat, cooking for just a moment and scraping up browned bits. I served the sausages and grapes over the polenta and drizzled it all with the pan sauce.

As similar to my previous polenta + sausage dish as this is, it does have some really tasty and interesting departures - the grapes add a really nice sweetness, and the chicken sausages make things a tad less greasy and heavy. But I promise, no more creamy polenta recipes from here on out...at least for another couple months.