Smoked Gouda & Sage Roasted Polenta | What's Cooking? #FoodnFlix

Thanksgiving is THE biggest food holiday in my family. It's such a huge part of what brings my family together with the menu planning and "passing out" assignments (not that it ever really changes - everybody has their specialty) and timing that never quite goes as planned, but works out anyway. It's about food and family and coming together and putting aside the things that make us different, keeping us distant and busy for much of the year...instead remembering our shared upbringing, memories both happy and painful...and celebrating the similarities and diversities that make us a family.

With this spirit in mind, I went on the hunt for a Thanksgiving-centric movie to share with the Food 'n Flix club bloggers leading up to this month. Although I hadn't yet watched it at that point, I invited everybody to head into the kitchen with the Thanksgiving movie, What's Cooking? for this month's round of Food 'n Flix at the beginning of November, because it sounded like it would fit the bill perfectly.

It did not disappoint! This film features four very different families - different from themselves and different from each other, yet also similar in so many ways. AND THE FOOD! So much food. Each family's Thanksgiving meal reflects their culture, their values, while honoring tradition and adapting to change.

The hardest part was choosing what draw from in the kitchen. I decided to go with a side dish, mentioned very close to the beginning (a mother, talking to a daughter about a recipe she got from somebody), roasted polenta. It's simple, yet adaptable. It's a great vegetarian option, yet it doesn't have to be. I added it to our (25 item) Thanksgiving menu this year.

I was the host of this month's edition of Food 'n Flix with my pick, What's Cookin?; submissions are being accepted until the end of the day today (11/29/2019).

Join the Food 'n Flix club next month as we head into the kitchen with our favorite holiday movies over on the Food 'n Flix website!

For inspiration, check out the Food 'n Flix website (click on any of the roundups listed to see what participants have been inspired to make by the movie choice), all of my past Food 'n Flix posts, or my Food 'n Flix Pinterest board!

Smoked Gouda and Sage Roasted Polenta

Yield: serves 8-10

Author: Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez

prep time: 20 Mcook time: 1 hourtotal time: 1 H & 20 M

Toasty on the outside, creamy on the inside, and entirely customizable, this polenta loaf makes the perfect side dish to any comfort meal.

ingredients:

• 6 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock if not worried about being vegetarian)
• 1 teaspoon smoked sea salt
• 2 cups corn grits
• 1/2 cup Smoked Gouda, shredded (I used a Bourbon Smoked Gouda) + more to finish
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves

instructions:

How to cook Smoked Gouda and Sage Roasted Polenta

1. Bring the stock and salt to a boil, then gradually whisk in the corn grits. Reduce heat to a gentle, steady simmer and cooking, stirring often for 20-25 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining ingredients.
3. Grease a 9x5" loaf pan and then pour the polenta into it and allow to cool to room temperature.
4. At this point, you can either continue with the recipe or cover and refrigerate the polenta to finish later.
5. Preheat the oven to 425° F. Place the polenta log/loaf onto a greased  or parchment-lined baking sheet.
6. Shred a bunch more of the cheese over the top of the polenta loaf, then slide it into the oven and roast until the cheese is melted and bubbly in spots, and the center is hot, 25-35 minutes.
7. Slice or spoon out servings and enjoy.

https://www.allroadsleadtothe.kitchen/2019/11/smoked-gouda-sage-roasted-polenta.html

©allroadsleadtothekitchen

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @allroadsleadtothekitchen on instagram and hashtag it #allroadsleadtothekitchen

Created using The Recipes Generator