For those in need of a polenta primer, it’s basically fancy cornmeal. You can make it loose, so it has the consistency of porridge, or you can purchase it precooked in a little sausage-like tube. The latter version is used here.
I ate polenta for the first time when I was in my early twenties. During a road trip to Philly with my bestie, Jacleen, we found ourselves in a classy restaurant eating a meal that probably cost what we earned in a week. I remember nothing about the main course except that off to the side of the dish sat three rounds of perfectly crispy, golden corn polenta. I was hooked.
Since then, there has been a lot of polenta in my life. For those in need of a polenta primer, it’s basically fancy cornmeal. You can make it loose, so it has the consistency of porridge, or you can purchase it precooked in a little sausage-like tube. The latter version is used here.
For this Beef Stew with Polenta, you’ll need a large dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot with a tight fitting lid. Sear the meat in small batches without overcrowding the pan, or you’ll never get any good browning happening. Though butternut squash is an untraditional addition to beef stew, it adds a mellow sweetness that counters the more assertive flavors of red wine and beef.
The final step in this one-pot meal is nestling rounds of polenta in the stew and letting the high heat of the oven do its job. Topped with a bit of Parmesan cheese, the polenta will be the crunchy crown to this rich, saucy dinner. Serve with wilted greens sauteed in garlic and oil, a simple side salad, or just a hunk of crusty bread.
Beef Stew with Polenta
2 pounds beef stew meat
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more as needed
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 rib of celery, trimmed and diced
1 small white onion, trimmed and diced
3 cups sliced mushrooms
2 teaspoons dried rosemary
1 teaspoon ground thyme
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 cups tomato sauce
1 cup red wine
2 cups reduced sodium beef broth
4 cups diced butternut squash
1 18-ounce log of prepared polenta
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.
Place the flour, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Add the beef cubes and toss well.
Heat a large, oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil to the skillet, followed by some of the beef cubes. Work in batches, taking care not to crowd the pan. Brown both sides of the meat, and then remove it to another dish. Set all the beef aside while you work on the veggies.
Add the carrot, celery, onion, and mushrooms to the pan. Sprinkle them with the rosemary and thyme. Continue to cook the veggies until they have released most of their liquid and are beginning to brown. While you’re doing this, scrape up all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
Stir in the garlic.
Return the beef to the pan, and pour in the tomato sauce, red wine and beef broth.
Add the butternut squash to the pan. Stir well, cover, and place the stew in the oven. Cook for one hour covered.
Remove lid, cook for an additional half hour.
Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees.
Slice the log of polenta into eight even rounds. Nestle them into the stew, and top each round with a generous bit of Parmesan cheese. Return the stew to the oven for an additional half hour, or until the polenta is crunchy.
This recipe will yield eight servings.
