what to eat on a blustery night

Oh, my. The weather has been absolutely crazy here in the northeast. In just the past few months, we’ve experienced an earthquake, a hurricane, and a snowstorm in October! Not to belabor the point, but what’s going on outside very much informs the food I feel like making inside. So, picture this: it’s a blustery autumn evening. There’s a damp chill in the air, but in front of you is a steaming bowl of creamy polenta topped with sautéed sausage, tender kale, caramelized garlic, and warm grape tomatoes that burst in your mouth, finished off with a dusting of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Mouth watering yet? This rustic recipe is that perfect kind of stick-to-your-bones cuisine…just what you feel like eating right now.

Sausage, Lacinato Kale & Grape Tomatoes with Soft Polenta

This dinner comes together in a flash, so it’s wise to prep all your ingredients before you begin. Thinly slice the garlic; remove sausage from its casing by squeezing it out of each link with your fingers. 

Remove the thick part of the kale stems by slicing down either side of each leaf with a knife. Chop the kale into bite sized pieces, then rinse, leaving water clinging to the leaves. In a strainer, wash a pint of grape tomatoes. Measure out the polenta and heavy cream, and grate the Parmesan cheese.

Begin by placing a sauté pan over a medium flame. Heat olive oil until it begins to shimmer and add the sliced garlic cloves. If you want to add a bit of heat, you can throw in a pinch of red pepper flakes here. Cook for a minute and when the garlic begins to turn golden, add the sausage meat. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring, until the meat is cooked through and no longer pink.

Mix the grape tomatoes in with the sausage, and then stir the kale leaves into the pan. Turn the heat down slightly, cover, and let cook for 7 or 8 minutes, until kale is wilted and tender. Taste and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of water to boil for the polenta. Check the package for directions, but it’s usually 4 parts water to cook 1 part polenta. When the water comes to a boil, add a large pinch of kosher salt and reduce heat to medium low. Whisk in polenta all at once to avoid clumping. Continue whisking until polenta becomes thick and starts to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 5 minutes. 

Stir heavy cream and grated Parmesan into the polenta and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.  Spoon immediately into bowls and top with the sausage, tomatoes and kale. Shave more fresh Parmesan cheese on top and give one final drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Mmm…mmm good.

Serves 4:

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 to 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
3 to 4 links of sweet Italian pork sausage
1 pint grape tomatoes
1 bunch lacinato kale, stems removed
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Soft Polenta:
4 cups water
1 cup polenta
1/2 cup cream
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

freshly grated Parmesan cheese
extra virgin olive oil 

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