Sausage And Fennel Ragout With Creamy Polenta

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lb bulk sweet italian sausage
• 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 large fennel bulb, cut in half lengthwise, cored, and thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
• salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• 1 quart chicken broth
• 1 cup milk
• 3/4 cup dry wine
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 cup quick-cooking polenta
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Recipe

• 1 heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add in olive oil.
• 2 add in sausage, breaking it up with the back of a wooden spoon; cook until browned, 4-5 minutes.
• 3 add in the red onion, fennel, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper; cook, stirring frequently, for about 4 minutes or until the vegetables wilt and the onions become translucent.
• 4 while the vegetables are cooking, start the polenta: in a saucepan, combine 2 ½ cups chicken broth and milk; season with salt and pepper.
• 5 place over med-high heat and bring to a simmer.
• 6 back to the vegetables: once the vegetables have wilted, add in the wine and remaining 1 ½ cups chicken broth to the skillet; increase heat to high and bring up to a simmer.
• 7 cook about 4-5 minutes, to reduce liquids by half; stir in the chopped parsley.
• 8 to the simmering chicken stock/milk, add in the polenta; whisk constantly until the cornmeal masses together.
• 9 add in the butter and grated cheese; stir to combine (if polenta becomes too thick, add more broth or milk).
• 10 serve polenta in a shallow bowl; top with a helping of sausage and fennel ragout; garnish with more parmigiano-reggiano.