SheWhoMustBeFed made a batch of polenta a day or so back. She might have been a little ambitious with the amount she made – we seem to have more dishes of polenta in the fridge than we know what to do with. One with onion and garlic mixed through it, another with a dash of ras-ek-hanout, another plain with corn nibblets mixed in.
This casserole is made from whatever vegetables are to hand, some haricot beans, and a few big lumps of polenta which act as dumplings, soaking up a big slurp of flavour from the sauce.
You need…
- SheWhoMustBeFed to come and make you some polenta. If she isn’t available, then go ahead and do this step yourself. Each “chunk” of polenta ought to be a fair size – say about that of an egg
- a random delection of vegetables (sweet potato, carrots, brassica…)
- a cup of cooked haricot beans
- 1/2 a medium onion – chopped
- 1 clove of garlic – chopped
- 1 teaspoon of chilli powder (or more…or less)
- big handful each of fresh parsley, dill, rosemary, thyme – chopped
- 1 tablespoon of light miso paste
- 2 cups of white wine
- 2 cups of water
To be, to be, do be doing…
- lightly saute the onion, garlic, and chilli in a generous splash of olive oil
- add everything else except the fresh herbs and the polenta
- bring to a boil then reduce to a low simmer and allow to bubble gently away until the vegetables are nearly cooked
- add the herbs and give it a few minutes more
- add the polenta. If you just dump the polenta in and stir it through it will likely break up and dissolve so a little care is required. Place the polenta on the top of the stew, and then get each to sink into the sauce by pushing aside the vegetables under each piece with a spoon. Leave covered, off the heat, for 5 minutes for the polenta to soak up some juice
- serve, eat, get out of washing up if you can