What goes well with polenta?

[Rheta]

I have some polenta that I am going to brown and then serve topped with sauteed spinach, garlic and tomatoes. What meat would go well with this? I know I can always count on you chowhounders for the greatest suggestions! Thanks!

[escondido123]

Easy and the best, to me, is Italian sausage, hopefully a mix of hot and sweet. I like the polenta bare so I can have different bites that don't always include everything.

[monavano]

Braises of any kind.
Beef stew
Chicken cacciatore
Osso Bucco
Pork ragu
Grillades

[katecm]

I think those are better for soft polenta. The sausage idea is a nice one, and I'd also recommend a veal chop with a gremolata. Nice and summery.

[monavano]

Disagree entirely. Browned polenta will hold up to braising jus.

[Phurstluv]

I just made a mixed Tuscan grill with lemon chicken (whole birds), bratwurst and panzanella salad. I made rosemary polenta, let it firm up in the refrigerator, then cut into triangles and grilled also. Delicious w the chicken & sausage.

Also, I love doing a mushroom ragout and serving it over a softer polenta w lots of grated cheese.

[Phurstluv]

Here's a pic:

[Rheta]

Beautiful!

[Phurstluv]

Thank you : )

[Matahari22]

That looks amazing!

[Phurstluv]

Thank you, my Friend.

[FoodChic]

Wine braised short ribs.

[smtucker]

What isn't good with polenta? I would grab a flank steak, do the slice to open into a book, take your spinach, garlic, along with some herbs, salt, pepper, pine nuts and perhaps some proscutto, roll it up and tie. Brown the outside of the roll in an oven-worthy pan, and then pop it into the oven. Let rest for a bit before cutting the string and cutting into 2" rounds. Place the sliced meat on top, or just to the side of the polenta, and spoon your tomatoes on top.

For the tomatoes, I might do a simple tomato jam with some balsamic vinegar.

[Rheta]

This sounds delish. Thanks!

[souvenir]

Grilled or sauteed shrimp.

[4Snisl]

I'd just go with a poached egg!

[GarlicFingersOI812]

A good Bolognese sauce always goes well with polenta - at least I think so.

[Rheta]

Thanks everyone for your wonderful suggestions! As usual, you came through for me!!

[shoo bee doo]

An authentic Hungarian goulash. The combination appears often on menus in Slovenia, which is located between NE Italy and Hungary.

[GarlicFingersOI812]

I could see Goulash on polenta - Yeah, that would also be a winner.

[paulj]

You already have a topping in mind, but the other day I served polenta with a sauce made with bacon, cabbage, cooked beans (white), and a bit of tomato sauce. I was roughly following an Italian recipe for cabbage with beans. I thought it worked particularly well.

[chefathome]

Have had it with both rabbit and wild boar ragu/ragout - LOVE it. All kinds of rillettes would be delicious with polenta. Braised wild mushrooms.

[ROCKLES]

lamb chops with rosemary and balsamic vinaigrette and a side of steamed asparagus!!

[TomMeg1970]

Anything cooked in tomato sauce would take advantage of the classic corn/tomato affinity: Shrimp & white beans, pork spare ribs and black-eyed peas, squid, pork belly....

Well cooked bitter greens (broccoli rabe, dandelion, kale, etc) are also very nice.

[Matahari22]

Nowadays, I must have something with a lot of juice, like a stew or braise on top of my polenta, either soft or fried. Left overs from soft polenta, get fried and topped with a nice poached or over easy egg.

The first time I ever tried polenta, it was grilled, and served with sandbar and peppers and it was amazing!

[Matahari22]

That is supposed to say sausage and peppers. Stupid iPhone autocorrect drives me nuts sometimes.

[pdxgastro]

Sandbar and peppers is pretty humorous. :o)

[Matahari22]

Thank goodness it wasn't anything seriously embarrassing, this time. You cannot imagine the words this thing throws out sometimes. And it's really bad when you end up sending embarrassing stuff to your parents or your boss. O.0