Veal Marsala with Polenta

I had one of those rolls of pre-made polenta in the pantry that I needed to use.  It was Cookbook Saturday so I pulled out a Giada recipe for Veal Marsala knowing it would be great with the polenta.  Off to our local grocery store to pick up some veal cutlets we went and we ended up with a great meal. 

For the polenta I found a recipe on how to cook it to be creamy and cheesy. 

Veal Marsala 

8 veal cutlets (about 3 ounces each)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 to 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 to 4 tablespoons olive oil

1 large shallot, finely chopped

2 to 4 garlic cloves, smashed

2 ounces assorted mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup sweet Marsala

3/4 cup low-salt chicken broth

Leaves from 1 fresh rosemary sprig

Sprinkle the veal with salt and pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 veal cutlets and cook until golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer the veal to a plate. 

Add another tablespoon of butter and oil, if necessary. Repeat with the remaining 4 cutlets. Set the cutlets aside.

Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add the shallot and garlic. Saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add a tablespoon of the olive oil, if necessary. Add the mushrooms and saute until tender and the juices evaporate, about 3 minutes. Season with salt. 

Add the Marsala. Simmer until the Marsala reduces by half, about 2 minutes. Add the broth and the rosemary leaves. Simmer until reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Return the veal to the skillet. Pour in all of the pan juices. Cook just until heated through, turning to coat, about 1 minute. Stir the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter into the sauce. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, to taste.

Using tongs, transfer the veal to plates. Spoon the sauce over the veal and serve.

For the Polenta

1 18-ounce (510g) tube of polenta

6 ounces (¾ cup) reduced-sodium chicken broth

4 ounces (½ cup) milk

2 Tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter

Cracked black pepper to taste

1 ounce (½ cup, 27g) shredded Pecorino Romano or Parmesan

Slice polenta into cubes roughly ½-inch wide.

Add the cubed polenta to a medium saucepan set over medium-low heat. Pour in the chicken broth and cover. Once the broth is bubbling around the edges of the pan, remove the lid and mash the polenta cubes using a potato masher until it's as smooth as it can be.

Pour in the milk and add the butter and black pepper. Stir to combine evenly.

Add the grated Pecorino and stir it into the polenta. Continue to heat and stir until the butter and cheese are fully melted and combined. Adjust seasonings and serve.