Vegetarian Pumpkin Polenta with Spinach and White Beans
November 2005
Makes: 4 servings
- 2 tablespoons EVOO
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 14 ouncecan White beans (cannellini)
- 2 10 ouncebox frozen chopped spinach, thawed
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/4teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (eyeball it)
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 14 ouncecan pumpkin puree
- 1 cup quick-cooking or instant polenta
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 cup shredded Pecorino Romano
- 1/4cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (a generous handful)
- Heat the 2 tablespoons of EVOO (2 turns of the pan) in a medium nonstick skillet and cook the onion and garlic over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the white beans and spinach and heat through. Season the beans and spinach with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
- In a large saucepan, bring the vegetable stock and butter to a boil and cook the pumpkin and polenta as directed in the main recipe. Stir in the Pecorino Romano cheese when you would add the Manchego. Top the pumpkin polenta with the spinach and beans. Garnish with the chopped parsley and serve.