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Polenta is delicious and takes on just about any flavor; which is why I prefer to cook it in broth. To save time, I use a pressure cooker vs the stove top. It does tend to burn the bottom of the pressure cooker, but don’t worry. Just use the unburned portion. I like to treat my polenta like mashed potatoes, however if you want to be more decorative and cut it into squares or triangles, after mixing in the Parmesan cheese (and optional veggies, see note below) spoon it out into a casserole dish and let it cool in the fridge. Once it sets, flip it over out onto a cutting board and slice it up anyway you want.

Parmesan Polenta served on Sautéed Greens
Makes 4 servings

For the Polenta:
1 cup (8 ounces) polenta
1 pinch salt, plus more to taste
1 quart vegetable broth
½ cup grated Parmesan Cheese, plus 2 tablespoons for sprinkling
1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Lemon wedges from 1 lemon

For the Green:
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch Kale, Spinach, or Escarole, chopped into bite size pieces (make sure to rinse it well and pat dry before chopping)
1 teaspoon roasted garlic paste (or mashed roasted garlic)
1 pinch salt

Mix the polenta, salt, and vegetable broth in a pressure cooker and seal the lid and set it over medium heat. When the pressure begins to build up, cook the polenta for 15 minutes. When the polenta is done, carefully release the valve according to the manufacturing instructions. Don’t worry, if some of the polenta burns and sticks to the bottom of the cooker just use the unburned portion. Take care when scraping it up. Transfer the polenta into a bowl and then mix in the parmesan cheese. Set aside.

When the polenta has 5 minutes left to cook, prepare the greens. Slick a large sauté pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the greens in batches until they wilt and are just tender; this takes about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer all the greens into a medium bowl and add in the garlic paste. Mix until it is well combined. Season with a pinch of salt and set aside.

To assemble the dish, divide the greens among 4 plates and treat the polenta like mashed potatoes and place a mound on each plate over the greens. Top each mound of polenta with a sprinkle of parsley and a pinch of Parmesan cheese. Drizzle each plate with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Serve with lemon wedges on the side for the greens.

Note on cheese: any cheese will work here included melted brie, shredded cheddar, shredded manchego, to give you a few ideas.

Note to dress up polenta: if you want to dress up polenta, add in chopped roasted veggies along with the cheese, or serve this over a fillet of fish or grilled chicken.

Herb and Spice Suggestions: I love polenta made with fresh herbs. I prefer to mix the herbs in after the potenta has cooked. However if you want to use ground spices such as curry, you can mix this in before cooking.