Beautiful food!

There is nothing like a meal that looks as good as it tastes. This week's veggie dish is a White Bean, Sage, and Squash Ragout with Polenta. The ragout is cooking right now, and it is just so pretty. The bright pieces of squash, chopped tomatoes, white beans, clear onions, and the little green bits of fresh sage looks so bright and cheerful on this cold grey day. It smells fabulous too, and I can't wait to try it tonight. I'll make the polenta right before I'm ready to eat, so it will be warm and fragrant. I wish I had some lovely gruyere, but there is fresh parm/romano that will have to do :-)

Made it out for a 1.75 mile (thanks Polar) hike this morning with a pregnant friend. We usually go twice as long, but she was tired and aching, so we called it quits early. I felt fine though, except for the bit of coughing once we got back. But, it was my first real activity in 10 days. I'm back, and I mean it! Tomorrow, the pool (and sauna) calls. It is cold and grey and miserable, so I *need* that sauna.

On to the recipe:

6 servings

For the ragout:
2T olive oil
1 large onion diced
3c winter squash peeled and roughly chopped-butternut, red kuri, etc.
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
1" piece of ginger peeled and minced
1 28oz can diced tomatoes
3 c cooked white beans
1T fresh sage minced or 1t dried
fresh black pepper

For the polenta:
6c water
1t salt
3/4c fine yellow grits
3/4c yellow cornmeal
Optional - fragrant grated/shredded cheese (parmesan, asiago, gruyere).

Ragout: heat oil in heavy pot, add onion and pinch of salt and saute 5 mins, until soft. Add squash, garlic and ginger and saute 5 mins-don't brown. Stir in tomatoes with their juice and bring to a boil. Add beans and sage and reduce to low heat and simmer, covered, for 25-30mins. Add water if ragout gets too thick. Season with fresh pepper.

Polenta: In heavy saucepan over high heat bring water to a boil, with added salt. In a bowl combine grits and cornmeal and mix well. While stirring water slowly add the corn mix and whisk smooth. Reduce heat and cook uncovered for 25 mins, stirring from time to time until the polenta pulls away from the sides of the pan. Serve in shallow bowl with ragout on top.

Edited to add: YUM YUM YUM!