Baked Polenta w| Tarragon Bechamel

There's something about stirring a huge pot of Polenta, as I recently learned when cooking it for the first time, that is both relaxing and intense. A singular motion is as simple as it gets, but lumps form quickly and you have to stir firmly and often. It is pretty straightforward then, to form the cooked polenta into a baking pan and layer it with a mixture of garlic sautéed mushrooms, onions and spinach that have been seasoned with lemon zest and hot pepper flakes. A creamy tarragon bechamel gets poured over top before the outer layer of polenta can be squished firmly into place. A fresh grated cheese blend of assiago and sharp cheddar tops off the dish, melting until gooey and crisping until golden brown for 30 minutes in the oven. I adapted this recipe from Herbivoracious: you can buy the cookbook here or find other awesome polenta recipes on author Michael Natkin's blog here.

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