Set It and Forget It: Polenta for Dinner
Oven polenta with many mushrooms, crème fraîche, and crisp-fatty pancetta
Hello from Brooklyn!
I’ve spent much of the weekend walking: to Brooklyn Bridge Park, where I wandered around the piers; to Grand Army Plaza, where I joined the No Kings Protest and marched along Prospect Park; and to the library, where I wove through the stacks in search of books to bring home. Back home, I’m doing my best to take care of Teo — who’s fighting a terrible cold — with pharmacy runs, mugfuls of Throat Coat tea, and homemade chicken soup with pearl couscous, spinach, lemon, and dill. And for my own morale, a cheeky Han Dynasty takeout was in order, paired with a viewing of one of my favorite movies, Father of the Bride, in honor of the late, great Diane Keaton.
Today on The Dish, I have an October menu suggestion for paid subscribers — starring a set-it-and-forget-it oven polenta, adapted from Alexandra Stafford’s Creamy Oven-Baked Polenta. Although stovetop polenta isn’t particularly complicated, it does require attention I’d rather devote to preparing something delicious to serve alongside it. Oven polenta, on the other hand, feels like a magic trick; just chuck it in the oven and let it cook until it reaches your ideal texture.
The autumnal version I’m sharing today includes crème fraîche for creaminess and tang, topped with a mix of mushrooms, crisp pancetta, and glossy greens. It’s rich, nourishing, and just the thing to cozy up with as the days shorten. But really, you could top polenta in a million different delicious ways: try it with brothy sungolds (pictured below), marinara-simmered meatballs, or a drizzle of sage brown butter. The real lesson here is the polenta itself — a comforting, forgiving foundation for whatever the season brings.
Set-It-and-Forget-It: Polenta for Dinner
Oven Polenta with Mushrooms and Pancetta
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