Stew
- 1 lb chicken sausage
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 lg onion, diced
- 1/4 tsp chili flakes
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 c baby spinach
- 28 oz can whole tomatoes
- 1 c frozen or fresh corn
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 lg potatoes, parboiled and diced
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Polenta
- 4 1/2 c water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 c instant polenta*
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 c parmesan, finely grated
- Olive Oil for frying
In a large saucepan, bring water and salt to a boil over high heat. Slowly pour polenta in to water whisking constantly until mixture thickens, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter and Parmesan.
Pour polenta into greased baking dish, cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour until polenta is firm.
Remove the polenta from the refrigerator and cut into triangles with a sharp knife.
In a large skillet, heat 3-4 tablespoons olive oil over high heat, until almost smoking. Fry the polenta in two batches, 4 pieces at a time, for 5 to 6 minutes per side until crispy and lightly browned. Place in 200ยบ oven to keep warm while frying remaining pieces and cooking stew. Replenish oil before frying the next batch if necessary.
In a large skillet on medium heat, add one tablespoon of olive oil and cook chicken sausage until browned and crispy.
When the sausage is browned, add the onion and cook until the onion is soft. Add the garlic and the chili flakes. Cook the garlic for one minute.
Add the spinach and cover the skillet to wilt the spinach. Once wilted, stir in the tomatoes and corn and bring to a simmer. Simmer 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
In a separate skillet, fry the parboiled diced potato in remaining olive oil until crispy on all sides.
Serve the fried polenta topped with the sausage stew and the crispy potatoes. Garnish with
parsley if desired.
