Crispy Pumpkin Polenta Rounds

Polenta was one of those dishes I could never get the hang of. On TV and recipe books, it looks so enticing and versatile:

"Ooo, look. A soft, fluffy cloud to rest this incredible ragu on top of!"
or,
"Ooo, look. Cakes of polenta with crispy parmesan on the outside, and a soft, fluffy middle. Perfect with a salad!"


But, this is how my polenta situation usually turned out:
"Ooh, CRAP! I stirred the cornmeal in too quickly! It's lumpier than Hulk Hogan's body!! Why is this stupid whisk not working? WHY AREN'T THE LUMPS GOING AWAY? Great, I overcooked it and now it's a gelatinous piece of SH..."


You get the idea. But after a little practice, and a little (ok, a lot) of swearing, I finally got it. It's definitely something to try if you've never had polenta before. The trick is you can't do anything too quickly. This is a great recipe to use up leftover pumpkin from Thanksgiving. Just refrain from swearing like a sailor if the fam is still hanging around.

Crispy Pumpkin Polenta Rounds   Makes 2 side-dish servings
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 cup chicken stock
1 T. cream cheese
2 heaping T. pumpkin puree
1 t. olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Parmesan Cheese
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
1.) Bring chicken stock to a boil in a small saucepan. Add cornmeal in a very slow, steady stream, whisking to get rid of any lumps. Turn heat to low, whisking constantly, and cook for 4-5 minutes (until all liquid is absorbed). Stir in cream cheese, pumpkin puree, and a dash of salt and pepper.
2.) Pour polenta into a small casserole dish. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
3.) Cut rounds of cold polenta from the dish using a cookie cutter or top side of a cup.
4.) Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add polenta rounds. Cook until golden brown on one side, then flip. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Remove once second side is golden. Top with chopped fresh parsley.