Subj : Crockpot N.Y. Times - 43 To : All From : Dave Drum Date : Mon Apr 01 2024 17:52:53 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 Uncle Dirty Dave's Archives MMMMM .... "It's a dangerous business - going out your front door" -- J. R. R. Tolkien --- MultiMail/Win v0.52 * Origin: Outpost BBS * Johnson City, TN (1:18/200) .