I’m taking a break from my sugar high {due to too many of these bad boys} to bring you a very fancy dinner with some not so fancy ingredients. {Love these kinds of meals!} This is the kind of dinner that you can dress up if you have company, or just throw on your plate if you’re in a hurry. And, it tastes good too. That’s always a plus, right?
Parmesan + Polenta = yummy.
Sausage + mushroom = amazingness.
Put the two together?
It’s like heaven in your mouth. Creamy polenta with salty italian sausage with some extra veggies….ya know, to make it healthy! Ha! Did I mention I made a little cream sauce amongst the hash too? Yeah. That was the right decision. {And that’s when I lost the whole ‘healthy dinner’ concept.}
It’s ok to splurge every once in a while, right?
Anyways, we loved this meal and think you all will too.
A few recipe notes: I used precooked Italian CHICKEN sausage. It was a new organic brand of sausages I found at my grocery store. Feel free to use any kind you like. I also used a small package baby bella mushrooms {you know, those blue styrofoam trays with the prewashed mushrooms inside}. That package was 8 ounces. Don’t be thrown off by that increment. I think that’s just about it! Happy cooking! 🙂
Parmesan Polenta Cakes with Mushroom & Sausage Hash
Ingredients
- for the polenta
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup polenta
- 3 tablespoon butter divided
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese {use the real stuff!}for the hash
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 large clove garlic minced
- 1 cup diced carrot
- 8 oz. baby bella mushrooms quartered
- 4 precooked Italian chicken sausages sliced
- salt & pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground thyme
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- parmesan cheese & fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
-
For the polenta {*see recipe notes below}- Bring water, milk and salt to boil. {Watch it carefully!} Whisk in polenta and cook 25-30 minutes until very thick, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and stir in 1 tablespoon butter and parmesan cheese. Grease a 9x9 square baking dish and spread polenta evenly into dish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until dinner.
-
For the hash- Place large skillet over medium heat and melt butter. Stir in onions and carrots and saute 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, mushrooms and sausage and cook another 10 minutes until veggies and sausage have browned. Stir in seasonings and de-glaze the pan with chicken broth. Reduce heat to low and stir in cream. Keep warm over low heat until ready to serve.
-
For serving- Preheat large {preferrably non-stick} skillet to medium high heat. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in pan. Remove polenta from fridge and cut into 4 large circles {or cut into squares to have no ugly edges to fry up!} Place in hot pan and fry 2-3 minutes per side or until browned and crispy. Remove from pan and place polenta circles onto servings platter. Top with hash, more parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. Serve hot.
Recipe Notes
Feel free to use quick cooking polenta to make your job quicker. You can also forgo the refrigeration process and serve the polenta from the pot.
carly {carlyklock} says
August 8, 2011 at 1:11 pmGreat recipe, Lauren! I need to experiment with polenta more, and I think this is a great place to start. 🙂
Lauren says
August 8, 2011 at 7:33 pmI haven’t worked much with polenta either, but I love it!
Rachel @ The Avid Appetite says
August 8, 2011 at 4:53 pmI actually have not worked with polenta before, but I do love it! I will try these 🙂
Lauren says
August 8, 2011 at 7:33 pmIt’s SO easy! You should buy some pronto!
Katrina says
August 8, 2011 at 5:14 pmI need to try this! I love polenta cakes!
Bev Weidner says
August 8, 2011 at 5:39 pmOh my LORD woman, I just fell out of my chair and hit my head face first on the ground.
Polenta and I are in love, so this is right up my alley.
Once I heal from the fall, I’ll make this. Wow.
Lauren says
August 8, 2011 at 7:34 pmSounds like quite the injury! Haha!
Marilyn Brennan says
August 8, 2011 at 6:39 pmIt was totally yummy, Lauren! Thank you for introducing us to all your new meal ideas! Yummy…
Lauren says
August 8, 2011 at 7:34 pmAnytime! It’s what I do!
Kathleen says
August 8, 2011 at 7:14 pmThese look seriously amazing! Just started following you 😉
Lauren says
August 8, 2011 at 7:35 pmThanks for the follow, Kathleen!
Honey @ Honey, What's Cooking says
August 8, 2011 at 8:19 pmooh, that looks so good. i’ve never made polenta in my life… you will be my inspiration. 🙂
Lauren says
August 8, 2011 at 9:21 pmGlad I can inspire you, Honey! 🙂
Maria says
August 8, 2011 at 8:44 pmI love polenta! Can’t wait to try this one! I will leave out the sausage for a veggie version:)
Lauren says
August 8, 2011 at 9:20 pmI keep forgetting you’re a vegetarian! I’ll have to post some Maria-friendly recipes soon!
Feast on the Cheap says
August 8, 2011 at 9:13 pmPrinting this out. You’ve literally concocted my husband’s dream meal. For realz.
Barefeet In The Kitchen says
August 8, 2011 at 10:14 pmThis looks fabulous, Lauren. I’ve never tried polenta, but it’s something I keep thinking I should attempt. This combination looks delicious.
DessertForTwo says
August 8, 2011 at 10:32 pmPolenta cakes are my go-to weeknight dinner! Sometimes I let leftover polenta cool, cut it into squares and fry it the next day before topping it with a mushroom-marsala sauce. Your version with sausage looks more man-friendly!–Mr. Dessert For Two thanks you 🙂
Lauren says
August 9, 2011 at 5:16 pmI never thought of this as being man-friendly, but I guess all the sausages ups the male likability factor! Ha!
Julia says
August 9, 2011 at 4:54 pmAnytime polenta and cheese are combined, I’m sold!!! Looks great!
Lauren says
August 9, 2011 at 5:17 pmI’m a cheese die-hard too. It makes anything taste good!
Amy Tong says
August 15, 2011 at 5:21 amYou really have some lovely recipes and beautiful photography! 🙂 I’m so glad I’ve found your site. Guess what, I just became your newest follower! Take care and see you around!
Amy
Juls says
August 21, 2011 at 8:41 amI’m trying these tonight! The polenta mix is currently in the fridge 🙂 It looks like such a nice and relatively simple recipe and I love parmesan and polenta so I feel I’m going to have a very happy dinner!
Amy says
August 24, 2011 at 10:32 pmI have a healthy obsession with polenta!! I like the additions I cant wait to make it! I think I may cheat and buy the store bought polenta you can cut at whole foods lol
From Valerie's Kitchen says
September 30, 2011 at 7:17 pmAbsolutely love me some polenta! Beautiful dish Lauren.
Lisa [With Style & Grace] says
April 15, 2014 at 12:49 pmyes, I’m definitely making this tonight or tomorrow for family dinner!