To
make the polenta:
Bring to a boil in a large saucepan:
8 cups water
6 tablespoons butter
Pour in very slowly, whisking constantly:
2 cups yellow cornmeal
Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently until the
polenta is thick and comes away from the sides of the pan as it is
stirred. Usually takes 30-40 minutes.
Stir in 1/2 to 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons salt (or salt to taste)
To
prepare casserole:
1 stick of butter
Polenta prepared as above
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions
pinch
of grated nutmeg
salt
and freshly ground pepper
3/4 cup mozzarella or sharp Cheddar cheese cut into thin
slices
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup blue cheese or gorgonzola cheese
Sprinkle a work surface with a little water. Spread the polenta onto the surface in a
layer 1/2 inch thick. (I’ve done this
in old cookie sheets and it keeps the polenta confined and a little easier to
clean up.) Allow to cool. Cut the polenta into 2 1/2 inch rounds with
a cookie cutter or glass.
Now heat the oil in a saucepan with 1 tablespoon of the
remaining butter. Add the onions, and
stir over low heat until soft.
Season the onions with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to 375º F. Butter a 9 x 13 ovenproof dish. Spread a few of the onions on the bottom of
the dish. Cover with a layer of the
polenta rounds. Dot
with butter.
Add a layer of the sliced mozzarella or cheddar cheese, a
sprinkling of parsley and 1/2 of the blue cheese. Repeat with another layer of onions, polenta
and cheeses, ending with the cheese. Dot
the top with the remaining butter.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and
started to brown just a touch on the top.
Serve from the baking dish.
Jan Dunn