Polenta And Sausage Stuffing

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 35 mins Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, plus
• additional unsalted butter, for buttering pans
• 6 1/2 cups water
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 cups instant polenta (11 oz)
• 1 lb sweet italian sausage, casings discarded
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (16 fl oz)
• 1 cup finely grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese (2 oz)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Recipe

• 1 butter a shallow baking pan (15 by 10 inches). bring 6 cups water with salt to a boil in a 4-quart heavy pot, then add polenta in a stream, stirring with a long-handled spoon, and simmer, stirring constantly, 5 minutes (polenta will be very thick). add 3 tablespoons butter and stir until butter is incorporated. spread polenta in buttered pan and chill, uncovered, until firm, about 15 minutes.
• 2 while polenta is chilling, cook sausage in 1 tablespoon oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat, breaking up lumps, until no longer pink, about 3 minutes, then transfer with a slotted spoon to a large bowl. add onion to skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 3 minutes; add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. add remaining 1/2 cup water and stir up brown bits from bottom of skillet, then add onion mixture and chicken broth to sausage.
• 3 preheat broiler. melt 1 tablespoon butter with remaining tablespoon oil in a small saucepan. invert polenta onto a large cutting board, then cut half of it into 1/2-inch cubes (reserve remainder) and toss with butter mixture in a medium bowl. return polenta cubes to baking pan, spreading evenly, and broil 3 to 4 inches from heat until golden brown in patches, 8 to 12 minutes.
• 4 put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 450°f butter a 13- by 9-inch baking dish (3-quart capacity).
• 5 coarsely mash remaining polenta with a potato masher and add to sausage mixture. add broiled polenta cubes, 1/2 cup cheese, parsley, and pepper to taste, and toss until combined well. transfer to baking dish. sprinkle top of stuffing with remaining 1/2 cup cheese and bake, covered tightly with a sheet of buttered foil (buttered side down), until heated through, about 20 minutes. remove foil and bake until top is lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes more.
• 6 cooks' note:.
• 7 stuffing, without parsley and cheese, can be prepared (but not baked) 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. bring to room temperature; stir in parsley before proceeding.