Fall

Polenta with White Beans and Spicy Mustard Greens

by:
January  9, 2015
4.5
2 Ratings
Polenta with White Beans and Spicy Mustard Greens
  • Serves 4 to 6
Author Notes

Smooth and creamy parmesan polenta topped with smoky bacon, cannellini beans, and spicy sautéed mustard greens. —Riley Wofford

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 4 1/2 cups water
  • 1 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 bunch mustard greens, stems removed and leaves roughly chopped
  • 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Directions
  1. Bring the water and 1 tablespoon of salt to a boil in a large saucepan. Slowly whisk in the cornmeal, then reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often, until the polenta thickens. Remove from the heat and stir in the milk, cheese, and butter. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  2. Meanwhile, place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook for about 6 minutes, until golden and crispy. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain.
  3. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the pan with the bacon grease and cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the mustard greens, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, until the greens are tender and wilted. Stir in the cannellini beans and cook for another 2 minutes to warm the beans through.
  4. Spoon the polenta into bowls and top with the mustard greens, cannellini beans, and bacon.
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1 Review

Jean
Jean November 4, 2022
Good basic recipe but proportions seem off. It calls for a Tablespoon of salt in the polenta. I cut it to a teaspoon which was about right for out taste until the Parmesan was added, which is salty.

We used a “bunch” of mustard greens which seemed like too little, wish we had added some kale to it for volume. And we would prefer a bit less pepper next time, maybe a splash of vinegar in the greens.

Nevertheless a great starting point!