Emily Weeks, RDN, LD
With a porridge-like consistency, creamy polenta is the perfect side dish to serve alongside hearty meat dishes this holiday season. Seasoned with fresh thyme, white wine and dried cranberries, this creamy polenta is sure to be a hit this holiday season!
We’re just three weeks away from Christmas Eve, folks! I hope you are enjoying the holiday season. I absolutely love this time of year — the decorations, the music, being with family, and especially the food. This year looks a little different for us, with a newborn and packing to move into our new house. We’re slated to close on the 21st and will be moving shortly afterwards. We hardly have any xmas decor up in our little apartment this year. It’s way too crowded already with moving boxes and baby gear!
If you’re like me, you’re already dreaming/planning your Christmas dinner feasts. My family always cooks dinner on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and we really enjoy being together in the kitchen and cooking both old and new recipes.
Today I’m sharing a recipe for a delicious side dish perfect to accompany your featured meat dish this year.
I originally posted this creamy polenta recipe back in 2015, alongside a recipe for maple roasted rack of venison. I loved the way the parmesan, thyme and chewy sweet cranberries contrasted with the creamy polenta. A dollop of this polenta is perfect to go alongside your featured meat dish, whether it’s roast beef, turkey, chicken or ham. It soaks up the juices from any meats you serve alongside, so it’s the perfect carrier for those savory tidbits.
Did you know that polenta is just corn meal? I always thought corn meal was only for baking corn bread. But no– combined with liquid it makes a perfectly creamy dish! One note however: if you let this dish sit for too long, it will solidify. I would serve this dish immediately with your dinner, or if you’re not going to eat it right away, pour it into a casserole dish and let it set up. Then, you can slice it into pieces.
Here’s the recipe for Creamy Cranberry Thyme Polenta:
Creamy Cranberry Thyme Polenta
With a porridge-like consistency, creamy polenta is the perfect side dish to serve alongside hearty meat dishes this holiday season. Seasoned with fresh thyme, white wine and dried cranberries, this creamy polenta is sure to be a hit this holiday season!
Ingredients
- 2 shallots finely minced
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup white wine
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 ¼ cup corn meal
- ½ cup parmesan
- 1 cup cranberries
- 1 Tbsp fresh thyme
Instructions
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In a medium sauce pan, add the shallots and butter over medium heat and sautee until the shallots are soft, about 3-4 minutes.
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Add the chicken stock, wine, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Sprinkle corn meal, 1/4 cup at a time, into the hot stock mixture, whisking constantly to avoid lumps.
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Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until the polenta reaches a porridge-like consistency. Remove from heat. Stir in the parmesan, cranberries and fresh thyme. Stir until combined. Serve immediately for a porridge like consistency.
