POLENTA with Broccoli Sauce

Serves 6 to 8

Polenta is the ultimate comfort food, and pairing it with broccoli makes it hearty as well as healthy. I have found that using instant polenta saves time but does not diminish the texture of the finished dish.

FOR THE BROCCOLI SAUCE:

6 cups water

1 (1½-pound) bunch broccoli

Sea salt

½ cup olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

Freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE POLENTA:

6 cups water

2 teaspoons sea salt

2 cups instant polenta

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

½ teaspoon dried sage

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

First, start the broccoli sauce. In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat.

While the water is heating, prepare the broccoli by discarding the stalks that are pale green or very white. Trim the base of the tender stalks and peel the stalks with a paring knife. Cut the stalks into 1-inch pieces and break up the florets into small clusters.

Salt the boiling water, add the broccoli, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.

While the broccoli is cooking, make the polenta. In a large saucepan, bring the water and salt to a boil over high heat. Stir the polenta into the boiling water in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly. Reduce the heat to medium and continue whisking until the polenta has thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the butter, Parmesan cheese, sage, and pepper. Cover and set aside while you finish the broccoli sauce.

When the broccoli is done, use a slotted spoon to transfer it to a cutting board. Reserve the cooking water. Coarsely chop the broccoli.

Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over low heat. Add the garlic and sauté until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the broccoli and sauté for 5 minutes.

Add 1 cup of the reserved broccoli cooking water, turn up the heat to medium, and bring the liquid to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, adding more of the reserved water, ½ cup at a time, as it evaporates and using a wooden spoon to break down the broccoli into a coarse puree, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Mound the polenta on a serving dish and make a large, shallow indentation in the center with the back of a large spoon. Spoon the broccoli and juices from the skillet into the indentation, letting some of the juices run over the sides of the polenta. Grind some pepper over the broccoli. Serve with additional grated Parmesan on the side.