This hearty Italian side dish starts with a plate of creamy polenta. A simple start to an extraordinary dish. The polenta is then topped with a savory sauté of Swiss chard, salty cubes of pancetta, and buttery pine nuts. Finished off with a drizzle of tangy balsamic vinaigrette—this dish could easily sub-in for a main course as well.
(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)
Creamy Polenta with Swiss Chard, Pancetta & Pine Nuts
Ingredients:
- For the polenta:
- 3 cups whole milk
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- For the topping:
- Extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup cubed pancetta
- 1 head of Swiss chard, stems removed and thinly sliced
- Salt and pepper
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Directions:
- In a large saucepan, bring the milk to a simmer. Whisk in the cornmeal and season with a pinch of salt; whisking constantly over medium-low heat, cook the polenta for 5 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the cheese.
- To make the topping, add 1 teaspoon of oil to a large sauté pan. Add in the pancetta and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Add in the Swiss chard and season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper. Saute for an additional 5 minutes or until the Swiss chard is tender and wilted. Off of the heat, stir in the pine nuts and vinegar. Serve warm over the polenta.
Tagged: balsamic vinegar, cornmeal, Italian, Italy, pancetta, pine nuts, polenta, side dish, Swiss chard, whole milk
Leave a Reply