Tomato ‘n’ Beef Casserole with Polenta Crust

Makes 6 servings
Hands-On Time 35 min.
Total Time 1 hour, 10 min.

1 tsp. table salt
1 cup plain yellow cornmeal
1 2 tsp. Montreal steak seasoning
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
1 lb. ground chuck
1 cup chopped onion
1 medium zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and sliced (about 2 cups)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 (14 1 2-oz.) cans petite diced tomatoes, drained
1 (6-oz.) can tomato paste
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1. Preheat oven to 350 . Bring 3 cups water and salt to a boil in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in cornmeal; reduce heat to low, and simmer, whisking constantly, 3 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat, and stir in steak seasoning and 1 4 cup Cheddar cheese. Spread cornmeal mixture into a lightly greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish.
2. Brown ground chuck in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, 10 minutes or until meat crumbles and is no longer pink; drain and transfer to a bowl.
3. Saut onion and zucchini in hot oil in skillet over medium heat 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Stir in beef, tomatoes, and tomato paste; simmer, stirring often, 10 minutes. Pour beef mixture over cornmeal crust. Sprinkle with remaining 3 4 cup cheese.
4. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle casserole with parsley just before serving.

Quick Tip: Whisk polenta while adding to boiling water and while cooking to ensure a smooth consistency.

Try This Twist:
Italian Sausage Casserole with Polenta Crust: Substitute Italian sausage for ground chuck and Italian six-cheese blend for Cheddar cheese. Prepare recipe as directed, saut ing 1 medium-size green bell pepper, chopped, with onion in Step 3.

From Southern Living Quick-Start Homemade, Oxmoor House 2013