I was reminded of my love of polenta when I reviewed Jessica Theroux's book a few weeks ago and experimented with a recipe for Polenta with Warmed Cream and Gorgonzola. Polenta, like pasta, is such a therapeutic dish to make. Standing over the stove for thirty minutes, constantly stirring corn grits helps me find peace. And then just when your arm feels like it might fall off, the polenta turns into a mass of deliciousness, ready for fixens'.

Dressing the polenta is quite tricky because you don't want to overdo a fine ingredient with too many other ingredients. I went with a buttercup squash, a member of the Turban squash family, with a hard, dark skin and a creamy orange flesh. Sautéed with olive oil, sea salt, and a pinch of nutmeg, it turned out tasty.

The next step was exploring textures. The polenta, squash, and mushrooms were a soft bite and since I wouldn’t be pairing this dish with meat, it needed an ingredient with a crunchier texture and a bit of protein. Enter fried lima beans, the ideal way to fill both needs.

A word on the buttercup squash—it's seriously the most difficult squash I've ever dealt with. You'll need a very sharp knife or you could really injure yourself. Cut the top and bottom off to give yourself flat surfaces with which to work and then cut it in half. Carefully peel the skin off, without being a perfectionist, and then remove the seeds with a spoon.

INGREDIENTS