Brown Butter and Sage Polenta.

Brown Butter And Sage Polenta

Creamy polenta is a great alternative to more common starches we often use in the United States, like potatoes, rice and even pasta. We love Italian polenta and with some cheese and brown butter, it really comes to life! And there is no better complement to brown butter than sage. This Brown Butter and Sage Polenta recipe is heavenly and can be made into a main dish or a side dish with a number of things served with or on top of the polenta!

Brown butter and sage are a match made in heaven! And when combined with delicious creamy polenta and Parmesan, this dish will not disappoint!

Ingredients:

6 large fresh sage leaves

8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
4 ½ cups vegetable stock - unsalted and high quality
9 oz Polenta-style instant cornmeal
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
Extra sage leaves to garnish optional

Instructions:

 

Chop the sage first, as you’ll need it as soon as the brown butter has been made. They don’t need to be finely chopped.

Next make the brown butter. Place 6 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the milk solids in the butter brown and the aroma is nutty. Remove from the heat, place in a small bowl and add the sage to the brown butter. Set aside.

Bring the stock to a boil. Once boiling, remove from the heat and, stirring constantly, slowly add the polenta. Do not add the polenta too quickly or it will become lumpy. Stir for 3 minutes, the polenta should be creamy. If it is very thick, thin it out with a little water or stock.

Incorporate the brown butter and sage into the polenta by stirring. Be patient, it takes a minute or so. Stir in the cheese, salt, pepper, and remaining 2 tablespoons of butter until fully incorporated. Taste for additional seasoning. Serve!

Notes:

We generally buy Italian instant polenta brands, but please note that different brands may require a different ratio of polenta to liquid content. The classic ratio is 1 part polenta to 4 parts water. Review the box instructions on the version you purchased and adjust accordingly if the polenta-to-stock ratio is significantly different than the one you are using.