Homeade polenta, vegetarian italian sausage served with marinara sauce

My father told me this was a recipe his grandmother would make all the time, it is a northern Italian dish, very simple, yet tastes like a million dollar meal. For the longest time I wanted to make homeade polenta. I tried out a couple of versions. This recipe immediately got some heat, when my mother described the "high glycemic index". Then this morning I was talking to another fellow chef today whom is Italian. He enjoys his pasta, and he is fit, and trim. Now if you cannot handle portion control, or how to use wholesome ingredients then yes you are probably eating crap or eating to much. Now I initially saw a version of this recipe on yummly.com loved it, but the polenta was battered and fried. So I tried lightly browning it in olive oil. Both versions I made and both are delicious but one is definitely a healthier version. . Pair this with some sauteed broccolli rabe and feel transported to northern Italy.

Ingredients

For the homeade polenta
-1 cup of cornmeal
-3 cups of water
-1 1/2 teaspoons of sea salt
-1/2 large onion, carmelized
-1 tablespoon of olive oil
-1/2 cup green onion
-1 cup of grated organic parmesean cheese

1. I saute the onions first in a little bit of olive oil in the skillet, I let them get carmelized, turn off the heat and set aside
2. Dice your green onion put in a bowl and set aside.
3. Bring your water to boil over the stove, reduce to simmer and gradually add your cornmeal, and sea salt constantly stirring so it doesn't clump up. You will cook until thickened, about 20 minutes or so.
4. Add the caramelized onion, green onion, Parmesan cheese to the cornmeal right before you transfer to a pan or cookie sheet.
5. Spread the cornmeal mixture onto the pan to desired thickness. Let cool and it will solidify.
6. About 10 minutes before serving, place a little olive oil in a skillet, and brown both sides of polenta before serving. The rest can be stored in fridge.


Marinara sauce
-2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 can of San Marazano tomato puree (preferably these tomatoes, they are the best)
- 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
-1/4 medium red onion minced fine
-2 medium 3 small garlic cloves minced
-1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
-1/4 black ground pepper
-1 tablespoon of balsemic vinegar
-1/4 teaspoon of turbinado sugar

1. Saute your onions over medium heat in olive oil. After a few minutes add your garlic. Add half the amount of sea salt, cook for another 3-4 minutes constantly stirring...Never burn garlic!!!
2. Add the San marazano tomatoes, and the tomato paste. add the rest of the sea salt, ground black pepper.
3. Lower to a light simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring so it doesn't burn, then add the sugar and balsemic vinegar.  Now you have your marinara sauce!

I used Tofurky vegetarian Italian sausage with this dish, If you eat meat then try a chicken or turkey italian sausage. mangia mangia!