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Title: Slow Cooker Pumpkin-Parmesan Polenta
Categories: Squash, Vegetables, Herbs, Cheese
Yield: 10 servings

2 c (12 oz) traditional or
- stone-ground polenta (not
- instant or quick-cooking)
30 oz (2 cans) pumpkin purée
12 tb Unsalted butter
1 1/2 tb Kosher salt; more for
- seasoning
Black pepper
1 Thyme sprig
1 bn Fresh sage (5 to 8 sprigs)
1 ts Freshly grated nutmeg; more
- for topping
8 oz Cream cheese; room temp
10 oz Grated Parmesan; more for
- serving

SLOW COOKER METHOD:

In a 6 to 8 quart slow cooker, whisk together the
polenta with 10 cups of water, then whisk in the
pumpkin. Scatter in 4 tablespoons butter, cut into bits;
the salt; a generous amount of pepper; the thyme sprig;
1 sprig of the sage; and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg. Cook on
low for 6 hours, whisking once or twice if possible.
(This can hold very well on warm for several hours.)

Break the cream cheese into pieces and drop them into
the polenta; whisk to melt the cream cheese and combine.
Remove and discard the herb sprigs. Stir in the
remaining 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg, then stir in the
grated Parmesan. Taste and add more salt if necessary.

In a medium skillet, melt the remaining 8 tablespoons
butter over medium-high heat. Pick the leaves from the
remaining sage sprigs, and when the butter is melted,
drop them in. Cook the butter and the sage, swirling the
pan often, until the butter solids start to turn
medium-brown and smell toasty, 3 to 5 minutes. (Don’t
walk away; butter goes from browned to burned in
seconds.) Remove the pan from the heat immediately and
swirl the browned butter-sage mixture into the polenta.
Serve the polenta in a large platter or shallow bowl,
topped with a bit more Parmesan and more nutmeg if
desired.

STOVETOP METHOD:

In a large pot, bring 10 cups of water to boil over high
heat. Add the polenta in a steady steam while whisking
constantly. Reduce the heat to low or medium-low. (You
want the polenta-water mixture to be steaming hot, but
not boiling.) Continue to whisk constantly for about 3
minutes, until the polenta and water have formed a
smooth mixture. Whisk in the pumpkin, 4 tablespoons
butter, the salt, a generous amount of pepper, the thyme
sprig, 1 sage sprig and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg. Once all
the ingredients are combined, cover and cook for 40
minutes, whisking well every 10 minutes.

Uncover the pot and cook for about 1 hour more, whisking
every 10 minutes, until the polenta is smooth and
tender, and the mixture has thickened and is creamy but
not runny.

Break the cream cheese into small pieces and drop them
into the polenta; whisk to melt the cream cheese and
combine. Remove and discard the herb sprigs. Stir in the
remaining 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg and the grated
Parmesan. Taste and add more salt if necessary.

Melt the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter over
medium-high heat in a medium skillet. Pick the leaves
from the remaining sage sprigs and when the butter is
melted, drop them in. Cook the butter and the sage,
swirling the pan often, until the butter solids start to
turn medium brown and smell toasty, 3 to 5 minutes.
(Don’t walk away; butter goes from browned to burned in
seconds.) Remove the pan from the heat immediately and
swirl the browned butter-sage mixture into the polenta.
Serve the polenta in a large platter or shallow bowl,
topped with a bit more Parmesan and more nutmeg if
desired.

TIP: Refrigerated leftovers will solidify; you can cut
it into into slices and gently warm them in oil in a
skillet. Or, to make the dish a day ahead re-warm the
polenta in a pot over medium heat, whisking in splashes
of boiling water, until the polenta is creamy again and
warmed through.

By: Sarah DiGregorio

Yield: About 10 servings

RECIPE FROM: https://cooking.nytimes.com

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