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Pumpkin Polenta and Balsamic Beet Bowl

Autumn means the return of root vegetables and hard squashes to the farmers markets, and we love nothing more than stuffing our tote bags with red, gold and purple beets like so many jewels. This polenta bowl can make an excellent weeknight dinner or a hearty lunch when topped with a fried egg, or makes a comforting side dish. The chimichurri gets an extra punch of color with the addition of chopped beet stalk and beet leaves. An added bonus: thoroughly scrub your beets, and you don’t have to peel them. We love no waste!
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Main Course
Servings 2 -4

Ingredients
  

FOR THE POLENTA:

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ½ cup shallots, minced
  • 1¼ quarts vegetable broth
  • 1 cup polenta
  • 1 cup roasted pumpkin purée (or other squash purée)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder

FOR THE BEETS:

  • 1 pound small-medium beets, washed, roots and stems removed
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ¼ cup of balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper

FOR THE BEET STALK CHIMICHURRI:

  • ¼ cup parsley, minced
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
  • ¼ cup beet stalks and beet leaves, finely chopped
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 450°F.
  • Toss the beets in the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and maple syrup, and arrange in a foil-lined baking dish. Sprinkle the beets with salt and pepper. Cover with more foil and roast for 45 minutes, or until the beets are fork-tender. While they roast, prepare the polenta.
  • In a saucepan, melt the butter, then add the shallots and sweat for 2-3 minutes on medium heat. Add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Add in the polenta, stirring to prevent clumping. Reduce heat to low, and cook polenta for 15 minutes, or until big bubbles begin forming on the surface. Remove from the heat, and stir in the pumpkin purée, salt, pepper, turmeric and smoked paprika.
  • When the beets are fully cooked, chop into wedges. A sweet sauce should have formed in the bottom of the baking dish. Add the beets back to this until ready to serve.

For the chimichurri:

  • Mix together all the ingredients, and adjust the seasoning to taste.

To serve:

  • Ladle the polenta into bowls, top with the chopped beets and the balsamic sauce. Spoon the chimichurri over everything
Keyword beet, pumpkin, squash