Butternut squash polenta

It's one of those words that gets funnier the more you say it, right? Like "cow." (Try it: Cow. Cow cow cow.) Or "shirt." Or "bunny."

Now that winter squash has come into season where I live, lucky me, I have ample opportunity to enjoy squash, both the word and the actual, delicious, nutritious vegetable. Butternut squash is one of those "deciding ingredients" for me, as in, if a dish on a restaurant menu contains butternut squash, that pretty much decides what I'm going to order.

Squash recipes I'm excited to dig into this year include these moist, delicious cupcakes you can make with butternut squash (courtesy of Locanda Verde's Karen DeMasco, who baked them for the Epicurious Entertains New York City Cooking with Kids event earlier this month), a hearty-looking Roasted Chicken and Butternut Squash soup recipe just posted today on Serious Eats, and my all-time favorite squash recipe, Quinoa with Moroccan Winter Squash and Carrot Stew. And maybe this Butternut Squash Polenta, which I'm hoping will change my mind about polenta. (Polenta. Polenta polenta polenta. Not sure that's quite as funny as squash.)

Butternut Squash Polenta

Gourmet | December 2005

Yield: Makes 4 side-dish servings

Active time: 25 min

Total time: 25 min

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup finely chopped onion (1 medium)

  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1 (12-oz) package frozen butternut squash purée (sometimes called winter squash; 1 1/2 cups), thawed

  • 2 1/2 cups water

  • 2 cups whole milk

  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

  • 3/4 cup instant polenta

  • 1 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/2 cup)

Preparation

Cook onion in 3 tablespoons butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until very soft, about 8 minutes. Stir in squash and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes.

Bring water, milk, salt, and pepper to a boil in a 4-quart heavy pot. Add polenta in a thin stream, whisking. Cook polenta at a bare simmer, stirring with a long-handled whisk and turning down heat as needed to prevent spattering, 5 minutes.

Stir in squash mixture and cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Remove from heat, then stir in cheese and remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Serve immediately.

Got another squash recipe I should try? Or another word to repeat until it becomes inexplicably hilarious?

By Siobhan Adcock

Photo by Romulo Yanes

MORE FROM EPICURIOUS.COM

Sweet and savory recipes for early fall dates

Find out what's in season in your state right now

Wholesome winter recipes for every meal of the day

Easy tips and delicious ideas for mastering lasagna

The ultimate potato recipes for baking, roasting, and more