Creamy Marscapone Polenta

If I could eat this meal everyday I would!! This is total comfort food to me and I love how flavorful it is. It's finally grilling season and one of the first things I like to cook outdoors is Italian sausage. This time it was sausage with fennel, cheese and garlic, a favorite of mine that went into a pot of sauce--but I swiped a few for our lunch yesterday. With carmelized onions, roasted red peppers, fennel and black olives and served it over a bowl of creamy marscapone polenta--pure comfort!




Creamy Marscapone Polenta
Adapted from Emeril Lagasse

* 2 cups water
* 2 cups milk
* 1 cup yellow cornmeal
* 2 ounces Marscapone cheese@ room temperature
* 1/4 c light cream
* sea salt
* white pepper

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the water and milk to a light boil. Slowly stir in the polenta. Cook, stirring constantly, for 15 minutes. Stir in the marscapone cheese. Stir in enough of the cream for a smooth and creamy texture. Season with sea salt and white pepper. Remove from the heat and serve immediately.

Sausage,Onion,Fennel & Peppers Topping

grilled Italian sausage
roasted red peppers, sliced
1/2 fennel bulb, sliced thin
3 onions, sliced thin
dried oregano, thyme, rosemary
8 kalamata olives, cut in half
marinara sauce
grated parmesan cheese
fresh parsley, minced

In a medium skillet saute onions, fennel in 2 TBLS olive oil. Once golden, add a teaspoon of sugar and toss well. Add the olives and red peppers, cooking until they go limp. Add seasoning and herbs and cook a few minutes more. Add the previously grilled sausage, turn off the heat and keep covered. Once the polenta is ready spoon it out into a bowl topping it with a ladle of marinara sauce and then lastly the sausage, peppers and onions mixture. Sprinkle generously with grated parmesan and minced fresh parsley. Enjoy!