Subj : Crockpot N.Y. Times - 43
To   : All
From : Dave Drum
Date : Mon Apr 01 2024 05:51 pm

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06

     Title: Slow Cooker Pumpkin-Parmesan Polenta
Categories: Squash, Vegetables, Herbs, Cheese
     Yield: 10 servings

     2 c  (12 oz) traditional or
          - stone-ground polenta (not
          - instant or quick-cooking)
    30 oz (2 cans) pumpkin purée
    12 tb Unsalted butter
 1 1/2 tb Kosher salt; more for
          - seasoning
          Black pepper
     1    Thyme sprig
     1 bn Fresh sage (5 to 8 sprigs)
     1 ts Freshly grated nutmeg; more
          - for topping
     8 oz Cream cheese; room temp
    10 oz Grated Parmesan; more for
          - serving

 SLOW COOKER METHOD:

 In a 6 to 8 quart slow cooker, whisk together the
 polenta with 10 cups of water, then whisk in the
 pumpkin. Scatter in 4 tablespoons butter, cut into bits;
 the salt; a generous amount of pepper; the thyme sprig;
 1 sprig of the sage; and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg. Cook on
 low for 6 hours, whisking once or twice if possible.
 (This can hold very well on warm for several hours.)

 Break the cream cheese into pieces and drop them into
 the polenta; whisk to melt the cream cheese and combine.
 Remove and discard the herb sprigs. Stir in the
 remaining 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg, then stir in the
 grated Parmesan. Taste and add more salt if necessary.

 In a medium skillet, melt the remaining 8 tablespoons
 butter over medium-high heat. Pick the leaves from the
 remaining sage sprigs, and when the butter is melted,
 drop them in. Cook the butter and the sage, swirling the
 pan often, until the butter solids start to turn
 medium-brown and smell toasty, 3 to 5 minutes. (Don’t
 walk away; butter goes from browned to burned in
 seconds.) Remove the pan from the heat immediately and
 swirl the browned butter-sage mixture into the polenta.
 Serve the polenta in a large platter or shallow bowl,
 topped with a bit more Parmesan and more nutmeg if
 desired.

 STOVETOP METHOD:

 In a large pot, bring 10 cups of water to boil over high
 heat. Add the polenta in a steady steam while whisking
 constantly. Reduce the heat to low or medium-low. (You
 want the polenta-water mixture to be steaming hot, but
 not boiling.) Continue to whisk constantly for about 3
 minutes, until the polenta and water have formed a
 smooth mixture. Whisk in the pumpkin, 4 tablespoons
 butter, the salt, a generous amount of pepper, the thyme
 sprig, 1 sage sprig and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg. Once all
 the ingredients are combined, cover and cook for 40
 minutes, whisking well every 10 minutes.

 Uncover the pot and cook for about 1 hour more, whisking
 every 10 minutes, until the polenta is smooth and
 tender, and the mixture has thickened and is creamy but
 not runny.

 Break the cream cheese into small pieces and drop them
 into the polenta; whisk to melt the cream cheese and
 combine. Remove and discard the herb sprigs. Stir in the
 remaining 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg and the grated
 Parmesan. Taste and add more salt if necessary.

 Melt the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter over
 medium-high heat in a medium skillet. Pick the leaves
 from the remaining sage sprigs and when the butter is
 melted, drop them in. Cook the butter and the sage,
 swirling the pan often, until the butter solids start to
 turn medium brown and smell toasty, 3 to 5 minutes.
 (Don’t walk away; butter goes from browned to burned in
 seconds.) Remove the pan from the heat immediately and
 swirl the browned butter-sage mixture into the polenta.
 Serve the polenta in a large platter or shallow bowl,
 topped with a bit more Parmesan and more nutmeg if
 desired.

 TIP: Refrigerated leftovers will solidify; you can cut
 it into into slices and gently warm them in oil in a
 skillet. Or, to make the dish a day ahead re-warm the
 polenta in a pot over medium heat, whisking in splashes
 of boiling water, until the polenta is creamy again and
 warmed through.

 By: Sarah DiGregorio

 Yield: About 10 servings

 RECIPE FROM: https://cooking.nytimes.com

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