Steak with Butternut Squash Polenta

Ingredients for 4 portions

21oz / 600g steaks (tenderloin, ribeye, sirloin or similar cut)

12oz / 350g frozen butternut squash purée

3cups / 700ml whole milk

3.5oz / 100g cornmeal or dry polenta

2.8oz / 80g onion (1 small piece)

3tbsp / 45g butter

2.5oz / 60g grated parmesan

0.5tsp salt

0.25tsp pepper

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Instructions:

1. Cut onion into dice (1/4 inch / 5mm).
   
2. Season steaks with half of the salt on both sides and half of the pepper on one side only.
   
3. Melt butter in a pan over medium-high heat, add onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes until they become translucent.
   
4. Add frozen butternut squash purée, milk, remaining salt and pepper, mix well and bring to a boil.
   
5. While butternut-milk mixture is heating up, put oil in a second pan and set on medium/high heat. Once the oil is hot (usually takes 1-2 minutes) put the steaks in with the salt-only side down and cook for 3 minutes (set a timer).
   
6. Once the butternut-milk mixture boils, reduce the heat to medium and slowly pour in cornmeal/polenta in a thin stream while whisking constantly. If necessary, slightly adjust the cornmeal amount to get the best consistency. Add parmesan. Continue to cook for about 2-3 minutes until the polenta is smooth, keep stirring. Turn off heat once done, but continue stirring occasionally until steak is ready to avoid film from forming.
   
7. After 3 minutes on one side, turn steaks and cook for another 4 minutes on the other side. After that time a 1-inch (2.5cm) steak will be medium-rare. For rare cook only 2 and 3 minutes, for medium cook 4 and 5 minutes and for well done cook 5 and 6 minutes. If the steaks are thinner or thicker add/subtract about half a minute for each ¼ inch (1/2 cm).
   
8. Serve steak together with polenta.

bon appetit