sweet potato polenta

Polenta has become one of our favorite foods during our time in New England. As fall begins, this version made with sweet potatoes seems appropriate.

1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
8 cups water

Bring water to a boil and cook potato until it is soft. Puree the liquid and return to stove at medium heat. Add

2 cups corn meal

a little at a time, whisking the meal into the water so there are no lumps. When all the corn meal is mixed in, add

1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 cup heavy cream (you can leave out the cream and add a little more water)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

and continue to stir until mixture thickens and begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. This will take ten to fifteen minutes. When it is the consistency of very thick porridge, choose your serving options:

• spoon into bowls, drizzle with maple syrup, and serve;
• pour into a 13x9 pyrex dish and cool in refrigerator (or freezer, if you need to do it faster) and then slice and pan fry;
• pour into pyrex dish, cool, and then bake at 350 for about twenty minutes until firm enough to cut.

Goes great with any fall entree.

Peace,
Milton