How to make crispy sage polenta with roasted butternut squash and shiitake mushrooms

A very vegan Christmas used to mean a rather sad looking nut roast or a last-minute pasta bake.

But now your vegan guests should be spoiled, and rightfully so.

If you’re cooking for vegans and omnivores, keep it simple but tasty with recipes that can be prepped ahead of time.

Polenta is a perfect choice because it can be cooked the day before and happily left in the fridge until you’re ready.

Buy pre-chopped butternut squash if you like, to keep your prep list shorter.

And fry your sage leaves first, then use the oil for sautéing the mushrooms, and to brush onto the butternut squash and polenta.

It will have a lovely infused flavour. Add some grated vegan “cheese” if you like but, to be honest, it doesn’t need it.

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Serves 6

375g instant or quick polenta
750-800g peeled and sliced butternut squash
250g shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
30-40g sage (about 40 leaves)
200ml olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 220ºC/425ºF. Lightly brush a 23x33cm baking dish with olive oil.

Cook the polenta according to the package instructions. Pour the cooked polenta into the greased baking dish and use a spatula to smooth the top. Cover and place in the refrigerator to cool. (This can be done the day before.)

Place the rest of the oil in a frying pan and fry the sage leaves in batches until crispy. This won’t take more than a minute. Put the fried leaves on a piece of towel paper and sprinkle lightly with salt.

Remove all but a few tablespoons of the oil from the pan. Sauté the mushrooms and season generously with salt and pepper. While the mushrooms are cooking, brush the butternut squash slices with some of the remaining oil, season with salt and pepper and roast in the preheated oven. Cook for 15-20 minutes, turning halfway through so both sides are nicely browned.

Slice the polenta into six pieces lengthways, then cut each one into three ”soldiers” so you have 18 slices in total. Brush each slice with the sage-infused oil and place on a baking tray lined with a silpat non-stick sheet. Cook for about 15 minutes, turning halfway through so the outside is nicely crisped.

To serve, place the crispy polenta on a serving dish and top with the butternut squash, shiitake mushrooms and crispy sage.

All photos Julia Platt Leonard

@juliapleonard