Southwest B&g Recipe

Cook polenta

In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups water, 1 cup milk and 1 tsp salt to a gentle boil. Slowly whisk in 1 cup coarse polenta. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, for 20–25 minutes until thick and creamy and the grains are tender.

Finish polenta

Stir in 2 tbsp butter and 1 cup grated cheddar cheese until melted and smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat.

Chill and set

Spread the hot polenta into an oiled 8-inch round cake pan or a shallow baking dish about 1 inch thick. Smooth the top, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or 20–30 minutes in the freezer) until firm enough to turn out and cut into two 3–4" cakes.

Pan-sear polenta cakes

When ready to serve, remove polenta disc and cut into 2 equal cakes. Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Fry polenta cakes 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown and crisp. Keep warm in a low oven (200°F / 95°C) while you finish gravy and hash browns.

Brown the sausage

In a large skillet over medium heat, add 1 tbsp vegetable oil. Add the 10 oz sausage (removed from casings) and cook, breaking into small pieces, until well browned and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes. Spoon off excess fat if there's a lot, leaving about 1–2 tbsp in the pan.

Make roux base

Sprinkle 2 tbsp all-purpose flour over the browned sausage and stir for 1–2 minutes to cook the raw flour taste and coat the meat. This will help thicken the gravy.

Add liquids and spices

Gradually whisk in 1 cup chicken stock followed by 1 cup half-and-half (or cream). Add 1 cup salsa verde, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring so the gravy becomes smooth and thickens. Simmer 5–8 minutes until reach a creamy gravy consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning; add more salsa verde for brightness or a splash of stock if too thick.

Keep warm

Reduce heat to low and keep the gravy warm, stirring occasionally. If it thickens too much, loosen with a tablespoon or two of water or stock.

Prepare potatoes

Peel (optional) and grate 1 large russet potato into a bowl. Grate 1/2 small onion if using and mix with the grated potato. Rinse the grated potatoes under cold water until the water runs clearer to remove excess starch.

Dry potatoes

Squeeze the grated potato mixture tightly in a clean kitchen towel or several layers of paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible. The drier the shreds, the crispier the hash browns.

Season and fry

Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil or clarified butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shredded potatoes in an even layer, pressing down with a spatula to compact. Season with 3/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Cook undisturbed 4–6 minutes until the bottom is deeply golden and crisp. Flip in sections (or flip whole if firm) and cook another 3–5 minutes until crisp and cooked through. Transfer to paper towels to drain excess oil and keep warm in the oven if needed.

On each plate place one polenta cake (two total if plating for one person). Spoon generous ladles of the warm verde sausage gravy over the polenta cakes so they are well coated.

Add a portion of hash browns alongside the polenta cakes. Sprinkle chopped cilantro and a pinch of crushed red pepper over the gravy if desired. Serve with lime wedges on the side for a bright finish.