A Taste of the Food & Wine Festival – How to Make Polenta at Home

Would you like to bring a bit of Disney’s California Food & Wine Festival into your home? Today’s video can show you how: Chef Jesse Tiascareno is preparing a dish that is typical of what is served at the Festival – “Spicy Chicken Sausage with Sweet Corn Polenta.”

Chef Jesse is normally at Rancho del Zocalo. For the Festival, he is one of nearly 100 Disneyland Resort chefs who will be meeting and greeting guests and preparing unique fare for the 2010 event. If you’d like to meet Jesse, he is scheduled to appear May 24 at 4:00 p.m. at the Chef’s Showcase Stage. When you arrive, check the Festival Welcome Center for more details.

The full recipe is below. Let us know if you try it!

Spicy Chicken Sausage with Sweet Corn Polenta
Wine selection: Château des Charmes Riesling

Serves 4

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium Spanish onion, small dice
½ oz basil (1 tablespoon)
1 oz garlic (2 tablespoons)
2/3 cup fresh corn (1 cob), removed from cob
1 cup water
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup maple syrup (optional)
1/3 cup regular polenta (ground yellow or white cornmeal)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped chives
Coarse salt, freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 pound spicy chicken sausage links

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add onions, basil, garlic and fresh corn and cook for 3-5 minutes. Add water, cream and maple syrup; bring mixture to a boil.
3. Reduce heat to low and stir in polenta. Cook on low heat for 5 minutes while continuing to stir.
4. Cover pan with foil and bake for 45 minutes or until polenta is creamy and has absorbed most of the liquid.
5. Remove from oven and stir in chives and Parmesan cheese. Season to taste.
6. Grill sausages, then slice in half. To serve, spoon polenta into warmed bowls and top with sausages.