Italian Sausage with Tomatoes & Beans with Polenta

Note: Make the polenta at least 5 hours ahead of time.

Polenta:  
2 cups yellow corn meal
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Bring 7 cups of water, with the salt added, to a boil. Gradually add 2 cups of yellow corn meal in a steady stream, stirring the entire time. Cook on moderate heat, stirring continuously until thick and stiff (about 10 minutes). Add one cup Parmesan and stir until well blended. Line a loaf pan with plastic wrap and fill with the polenta and chill for 5 hours. Turn our and slice. Fry in a heavy skillet in butter until slightly browned and crisp.

Stew:
2 teaspoons olive oil
7 links Italian sausage
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cans dices tomatoes with basil, garlic, oregano, with some liquid drained (double the following spices if using plain canned tomatoes)
2 cans cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoon fennel
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground rosemary
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon thyme
4 teaspoon oregano
1-1/2 T chopped garlic
1 Knorr’s vegetable bullion
Polenta (see recipe)
1/8 cup grated Parmesan

Remove one sausage from casing and break up into small pieces in a large non-stick skillet. Drizzle one teaspoon olive oil over the sausage and cook over medium heat (about 3 minutes). Add the remaining four sausages and brown for 3-4 minutes on each side (i.e. 6-8 minutes total). Add the wine and deglaze. Add the tomatoes and herbs; stir; cover and cook over lowest heat for 30 minutes. Stir in the beans, cover, and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Arrange two slices of polenta on each plate, overlapping. Place one sausage on each plate and spoon tomato & beans over. Sprinkle with the grated cheese.

Serve with Italian bread or garlic toast.