Polenta And Sausages

Serve this alongside a layered vegetable torte and a robust zinfandel.

Ingredients:
2 T olive oil
4 good-quality sweet Italian sausages
1 cup medium-to-coarse cornmeal
salt
1/2 to 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, or to taste
2 T butter
freshly ground black pepper.

Preparing the sausages:
Put oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add sausages and cook, turning occasionally, until well browned on all sides and cooked through, about 20 minutes. Set aside.

Preparing the polenta:
Put cornmeal in a medium saucepan along with 1 cup water and whisk well to make a slurry; continue whisking mixture to eliminate any lumps. Put pan over medium-high heat, sprinkle with salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook, whisking frequently and adding water as needed to keep mixture loose and free of lumps, between 3 and 4 more cups. If mixture becomes too thick, simply add a bit more water; consistency should be similar to sour cream.

Polenta will be done in 15 to 30 minutes, depending on grind. Add cheese and butter. Taste and add salt, if necessary, and lots of pepper; serve topped with sausages.

Serves 4