I Don't Even Know Who I Am Anymore: Polenta Casserole on Repeat

Actual image of the sauce if you don't let it cool

There’s a fair amount of variety in our kitchen. While I’ve been known to complain that my family doesn’t appreciate the variety and quality of the meals I cook for them, the truth is that I’m the one driven by novelty. “Favorites” are noteworthy not because everyone loves them, but because they’ve actually been served more than once or twice. I could reduce my bulging Things To Cook folder to just things I’ve already cooked once and it would still be ridiculous; if my lifespan was tied to cooking all the recipes I’ve saved and reading all the books on my TBR list, I’d basically be immortal.

Ever since she announced her plans to go to culinary school, Anna has begun amassing her own cookbook collection (dabbing tears from my eyes, apples and trees, etc etc). Naturally this means that I have to cook from them, because my own collection is clearly inadequate and lacking in options. (The blame for the fact that my collection has outgrown its dedicated bookshelf and crept into the living room shelves rests firmly upon Anna’s shoulders and has nothing whatsoever to do with any recent shopping on my part.)

One of my biggest issues about vegetarian meals is that I end up feeling hungry an hour later. If I eat enough to get me through to the next meal, I’ve probably overeaten and will either feel gross for the next 2 hours, fall asleep on the couch, or both. If it’s dinner, there may be a Girl Scout cookie binge afterwards. I’m not opposed to vegetarian options – meat is ungodly expensive right now and I’m trying to make healthier choices – but not being able to include gluten or dairy limits my options more than I’d like. It’s frustrating to find a recipe that I’m excited to try and realize that there’s not any feasible way to make the substitutions. John is basically a stomach on legs these days and Anna’s boyfriend is a frequent dinner guest, so scaling up a meal enough to feed all of us can be daunting. And John is still picky about the vegetables he’ll eat and the amount of spice he considers acceptable.

This vegetarian casserole scales up beautifully; it’s on the table in under an hour (considerably faster if you make the mushroom mixture in advance and use quick grits); and everyone will eat it. Round it out with a salad for some textural contrast and you’re all set for the evening – no cookie binge required. I almost always have the ingredients on hand, so I don’t even have to do advance planning (of course I do anyway. I’m a control freak in the kitchen). It’s everything I like and nothing I don’t and I’ve made it 3 times in 3 weeks, which should tell you everything you need to know

Adapted very slightly from The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook by America’s Test Kitchen. If anyone is going to get it right, it’s these guys. Any snarky editorial comments are entirely my own, because the test kitchen people get to cook with dairy.

Rustic Polenta Casserole with Mushrooms and Swiss Chard

4 cups water, or 3 cups water and 1 cup milk (if you eat dairy)
1 cup coarse-ground polenta (you can substitute grits if that’s what you have on hand; the polenta is great but I don’t always have it on hand)
1 cup Parmesan cheese, if you’re one of those lucky people who gets to eat dairy
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, or the inherently-less-satisfying substitute margarine of your choice. As if choice has anything to do with it.
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped fine. Use a big one.  
1 ½ lb white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced thin
3 (or 6) garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried thyme or 1 Tbsp fresh
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
8 oz Swiss chard, de-stemmed and chopped, or 16 oz. baby spinach
4 oz fontina cheese, shredded, to top the ideal version of this casserole which contains dairy and is even better than the vegan version

 Heat 3 Tbsp oil in a large skillet, then add the onion and ½ tsp salt and cook until the onion is softened. Add the mushrooms and cook until they have released their liquid and are well-browned, about 25 minutes.

While the mushrooms are cooking, turn the oven on to 400. Bring the water to a boil, add a teaspoon of salt, and slowly stir in the polenta. (Don’t dump it all in at once or it’ll get lumpy and make you sad. No, I didn’t do this, but I did read “The Witch of Blackbird Pond” and I’ve never forgotten that scene for some reason.) Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until done, about 25 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the butter and Parmesan. Salt and pepper to taste, then spread the polenta in a 13x9 baking dish.

The mushrooms should be just about done by now. Stir in the garlic and cook for a minute or so. Add the tomatoes and their juice and simmer until the sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the greens a handful at a time and cook until wilted (if you dump them all in at once you will be sad and make a mess so don’t do that)(also a gas stove will set greens on fire if you happen to drop a few onto the burner. Don’t do that either). Salt and pepper to taste.

Spread the mushroom mixture over the polenta, and sprinkle with the fontina if you’re allowed to. Bake 10-15 minutes. Don’t ignore the instructions to let this cool for 5 minutes or so before eating, or you’ll scorch the top of your mouth with the molten lava sauce.

I have no idea if this reheats well because we’ve never, ever had leftovers no matter how much I make.