Roasted Root Vegetable and Polenta Casserole
 
Ingredients
  • Roasted Vegetables:
  • 2 parsnips (about ½ pound total) peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 5 carrots (about ½ pound total, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 3 large sweet peppers (red and yellow), cored, seeded, and cut into1-inch wide strips
  • 1 bulb fennel (about ½ pound) rinsed, sliced into 1-inch wide strips
  • 1 red onion, cut into ½ -inch wedges]
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon table salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • Polenta:
  • 4 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup hot water
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon table salt
  • ¾ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1-1/2 cups cornmeal (stone-ground preferred)
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • ⅓ cup fresh basil leaves, shredded
  • Topping:
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup shredded fontina cheese
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
  1. For Vegetables: Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together prepared parsnips, carrots, peppers, fennel, red onion, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread in a single layer in roasting pan.
  2. Roast vegetables at 375 degrees for 45 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking time.
  3. For Polenta: In a large saucepan combine milk, hot water, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Whisk in cornmeal, and cook, whisking, until thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. If too thick, add a little more hot water. Stir in Parmesan and basil.
  4. Coat a 9-by-13-by 2-inch inch baking pan pan with cooking spray. Spread polenta mixture in baking pan, then arrange vegetables over polenta.
  5. For Topping: Drizzle cream over vegetables. Sprinkle with fontina, then thyme leaves. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes. Let cool slightly before cutting or scooping.
Recipe by The Culinary Cellar at https://theculinarycellar.com/roasted-root-vegetable-and-polenta-casserole/