Name: Turkey Bolognese Polenta Nests
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Europe, Italian
Ingredients: 3-1/2 cups chicken stock, divided; 1 cup yellow cornmeal; 3/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided; 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 cup chopped onion; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 1/2 pound ground turkey; 1/3 cup tomato paste; 1-1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

This delicious appetizer combines two of my favorite foods, polenta and bolognese meat sauce, uniting them into one incredibly tasty bite! —Lidia Haddadian, Pasadena, California

Ingredients

3-1/2 cups chicken stock, divided

1 cup yellow cornmeal

3/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 pound ground turkey

1/3 cup tomato paste

1-1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

Instructions

1 Preheat oven to 350°. Coat 24 mini muffin cups with cooking spray. Set aside.

2 In a large heavy saucepan, bring 3 cups chicken stock to a boil. Reduce heat to a gentle boil; slowly whisk in cornmeal. Cook and stir with a wooden spoon until polenta is thickened and pulls away cleanly from side of pan, 15-20 minutes (mixture will be very thick). Stir in 1/2 cup cheese, cream, salt and pepper. Spoon 2 tablespoons polenta mixture into each mini muffin cup. As polenta cools, press an indentation in center of each with end of wooden spoon handle to create a nest shape. Set aside. Wipe out pan.

3 In same saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion; saute until translucent, 2-3 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add turkey; saute until no longer pink. Stir in tomato paste, Italian seasoning and remaining chicken stock. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes.

4 Fill each polenta indention with about 2 teaspoons turkey mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese; bake until edges are golden, 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven; cool at least 10 minutes before removing from muffin cups. Refrigerate or freeze for later use.