Pecan Polenta Rounds (sauteed Corn Cakes)

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2/3 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
• 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• pepper
• 1 cup polenta (aka corn grits - coarse ground yellow cornmeal)
• 5 tablespoons olive oil (for sauteing rounds)

Recipe

• 1 in a small skillet, heat 1 tbsp butter over medium heat; saute the pecans until lightly browned.
• 2 remove from heat and set aside.
• 3 in a saucepan, combine chicken stock, butter, nutmeg, and pepper; bring to a boil.
• 4 pour cornmeal into boiling stock with one hand while whisking mixture with the other.
• 5 when it's all in, turn the heat down to low and cook until thick (10-15 minutes).
• 6 remove from heat and mix in pecans.
• 7 line a 12" baking pan with wax paper and spread polenta evenly in pan; allow to cool completely.
• 8 with a 2-2 1/2" cookie or buscuit cutter, cut polenta into rounds.
• 9 carefully remove from pan with a spatula and saute in oil (starting with 2 tablespoons in pan and adding the rest as needed) until lightly browned on both sides.