Grilled Corn Polenta with Sausages and Broccoli Rabe
You can make this meal all year round, but it's one of Rach's favorite summertime meals!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds hot or sweet Italian sausages – pork, chicken or turkey
- 3 ears corn on the cob, husked
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus extra for brushing
- 1 1/4-1 1/2 pounds broccoli rabe (1 large bundle)
- Salt and pepper
- 1 fresh Fresno chili pepper or other medium-heat chili pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 bulb spring garlic or 3-4 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- Freshly grated nutmeg
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup quick-cooking polenta – for coarser polenta, use quick-cook method on coarse corn meal, which takes about 20-25 minutes (use directions on side of bag)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Grated Pecorino Romano cheese (a couple of handfuls)
Preparation
Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a skillet and let the sausages cook for 10 minutes.
Pre-heat grill or grill pan over medium to medium-high heat.
Brush the sausages and corn with EVOO. Grill the corn until charred evenly; cool to handle, scrape the kernels and reserve.
Boil the broccoli rabe in few inches of salted water to remove the bitterness, 2-3 minutes; drain.
Place the sausages on the grill to crisp up the casings. Remove and cover to keep warm.
Heat the EVOO in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chili peppers and garlic and stir for 1-2 minutes. Add the broccoli rabe and heat through. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg, then reduce the heat to low to keep warm.
Heat the chicken stock and milk to a low boil. Whisk in the polenta; thicken for 2-3 minutes, then add the butter, cheese and half of corn. Slice the sausages on an angle.
Serve the polenta in shallow bowls topped with a sprinkle of the remaining corn, sliced sausages and a pile of broccoli rabe with chili peppers and garlic.
