Butternut Squash Polenta with Crispy Sausage and Caramelized Onions

Butternut Squash Polenta with Crispy Sausage and Caramelized Onions

A couple of notes. Try to avoid using instant polenta, but if it's all you can find, add the squash and salt to the boiling water 15 minutes before stirring in the polenta, so the squash gets a chance to soften.

I always recommend buying certified organic foods when possible, in case of polenta (made from yellow corn) it’s especially important.

Organic corn is non-GMO and does not contain any harmful pesticide residues.

Ingredients

Serves 6

1 cup polenta (not instant)

1 ½ teaspoons fine grain salt

5 oz / 141 gr butternut squash, peeled and coarsely grated

Ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 lb / 453 gr turkey sausage, sliced into ¼-inch rounds

1 teaspoon rosemary leaves

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 medium onion, halved and sliced into half moons

Thyme sprigs for garnish

Directions

Bring 4 ½ cups of water to boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add salt and slowly whisk in polenta. Stir in grated butternut squash.

Reduce heat to low and continue cooking — stirring frequently to prevent it from sticking all over the bottom — for about 20 to 30 minutes. If any point the polenta gets too thick, add more water to the pot (you want it to be creamy but not soupy). Also be careful that the polenta tend to splatter so use a lid.

Take a taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

While the polenta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage rounds, rosemary, and thyme. Cook them for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until deeply browned and crispy. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

Add onions to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden and start to caramelise, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Return sausage to the skillet and stir to heat through.

Spoon polenta into bowls and top with sausage and onion. Garnish with a couple of thyme sprigs if you like.