Recipe

October 21, 2021

Polenta With Butternut Squash, Swiss Chard & Mascarpone

Recipe: Lynn Crawford & Lora Kirk

“With a mix of tender butternut squash, Swiss chard and mascarpone, this heavenly concoction appears elaborate but it’s an absolute breeze to pull together,” says celebrity chef Lynn Crawford of her polenta dish (below). Find more delicious family style recipes in Lynn Crawford and her partner Lora Kirk’s new cookbook Hearth & Home.

Ingredients

Polenta With Butternut Squash, Swiss Chard & Mascarpone

  • 2 cups butternut squash cut into 1″ cubes
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 cups water 2 cups + 3 tbsp whole milk, divided
  • 1 cup instant polenta
  • 1⁄2 cup grated cheddar cheese
  • 1⁄4 cup cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1⁄4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp finely diced shallots
  • 2 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp drained capers, chopped
  • 2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped (optional)
  • 3 cups roughly chopped Swiss chard, stemmed
  • 1 tsp minced fresh rosemary
  • 1⁄2 cup mascarpone cheese, at room temperature

Directions

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

Prepare Squash

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. In large bowl, toss butternut squash with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
  2. Spread squash in even layer on prepared baking sheet and roast until tender, about 30 minutes. Set aside.

Cook Polenta

  1. In medium saucepan, combine water and 2 cups of milk and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Slowly pour in polenta in even stream, whisking continuously, and cook, whisking, until polenta begins to thicken, 1 to 2 minutes.
  2. Reduce heat to low and cook, whisking constantly, until polenta is thick and creamy, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add cheddar cheese, cream cheese and Parmesan, and whisk until combined. Season with salt and pepper. Cover to keep warm until ready to serve.

Cook Swiss Chard Mixture & Serve

  1. Heat large skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter, shallots, garlic, capers and anchovies, if using. Stir together for 1 minute, until shallots and garlic have softened. Add Swiss chard, rosemary and roasted squash and toss together. Season with salt and pepper.
  2. In small bowl, combine mascarpone and remaining 3 tbsp of milk and whisk until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Spoon polenta onto serving platter. Top with squash mixture and mascarpone mixture.
Author: Recipes excerpted from Hearth & Home by Lynn Crawford and Lora Kirk. ©2021 by Lynn Crawford and Lora Kirk. Published by Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved
Photographer:

Maya Visnyei

Source:

House & Home October 2021

Stylist:

Sasha Seymour