Fresh Corn Polenta with Sausage Ragu

Well, it's been a little while...  I'm returning to this forum with a much-loved recipe for fresh corn polenta and sausage ragu that is just perfect for this time of year. 

Make this meal in the late summer or early fall, when corn and tomatoes are at their peak and most abundant.  It's such a delight to buy this type of produce from the farmer's market, and this recipe is the perfect blend of late summer produce and fall sentiments.  I like to get my sweet Italian sausage from Harlem Shambles, on 116th Street. They make their sausages fresh, on site (with a proper amount of fennel seeds, which is so important to this recipe), and they’re delicious. 

What luck! My local farmer's market offers an
equal amount of splendor as, but smaller
crowds than some of the larger
markets in the city.

Recipe adapted from Yotum Ottolenghi's Sweetcorn Polenta with Sausage Ragout for The Guardian.

Ingredients:

• 3-4 corn cobs, husks removed
• chicken bouillon (or 2 cups chicken stock)
• 1 1/2 tbsp butter
• 2/3 cups polenta
• olive oil
• 5 sweet Italian sausages, skins discarded, meat broken into 1" pieces
• 1 large onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and lightly crushed
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/4 tsp harissa paste (optional; I use Dea harrisa)
• 6 large plum tomatoes or 5 medium/large tomatoes, roughly chopped
• a small bunch of cilantro sprigs, tied with string (plus additional leaves to serve; optional)
• fresh basil for serving (optional)

Directions:

1. Fill a medium saucepan with ~2.5” of water and bring to a boil. Cook the cobs for five minutes, until just cooked (if using frozen corn, this step can be omitted). Remove to plate to cool. Use the cooking water from the corn to make 2 cups of chicken stock from bouillon (e.g., I use Better than bouillon). When cool enough to handle, hold each cob vertically on a board and use a serrated knife to shave off the kernels.
2. Add to the stock 1/2 cup water and butter. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat to medium, add the polenta and corn, and stir frequently; cook according to package directions until the mix is the consistency of thick porridge (my package said to cook the polenta for 40 min). Use an immersion blender to create a smooth porridge; set aside. If need be, reheat just before serving.
3. On a medium-high flame, heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan or Dutch oven for which you have a lid. Add the sausage meat and onion and fry for 8 minutes, stirring a few times, until the meat is golden-brown and the onion is soft. Stir in the garlic and spices, and cook for 2 more minutes before adding the tomato paste, harissa, tomatoes, 1 1/3 cups water, and the cilantro bundle. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat to medium high, simmer for 30-45 minutes until the sauce is nicely thick and rich, then remove from the heat and discard the cilantro.
4. Spoon the warm fresh polenta into individual bowls. Top with the ragu. Serve with a final sprinkle of cilantro or fresh basil (and a glass of red wine).

 
Storage: Store the polenta and ragu separately in the fridge for up to a week; leftovers heat up well in the microwave (discard any congealed fat from the ragu first).

This ragu is rich, with a depth of flavor that develops beautifully over its relatively short cooking time.  The onion lends sweetness, while the spices add warmth and a slightly unique character.  The fresh herbs add a brightness and tie everything together.  Against all of this, the mild sweetness of the polenta is the perfect complement to this rich tomato sauce.  Like many of Ottolenghi's recipes, this one succeeds in blending a variety of flavors together in an unconventional, yet somehow most familiar and intuitive way.  If you've never made one of Ottolenghi's recipes, I suggest trying this one.  It's forgiving, relatively uncomplicated, and full of flavor.  I think you'll love it!