Barbecue Polenta Lasagna With Brussels Sprouts

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 cups Black Swan Barbecue Sauce, divided

1 pound brussels sprouts, halved

2-3 cups shredded mozzarella

1 pound ground beef

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tubes (16 ounces each) pre-made polenta rolls (in plastic package)

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Saute sprouts, cut side down, in a nonstick skillet until they caramelize to a rich, nutty brown, about 5-10 minutes. Add ½ cup water to skillet, cover and cook over low about 10 minutes til sprouts are tender. Do not overcook. You want to retain some texture. Drain and transfer sprouts to food processor or chop by hand to a medium-to-rough dice.

Wipe skillet clean with paper towel, return to medium heat. Saute ground beef in remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to brown, crumbling the meat as it cooks. Drain excess fat. Reduce heat to low and add 1 cup of barbecue sauce to pan and stir with meat.

Add sprouts to same pan to blend flavors and salt and pepper to taste. Turn off heat; set aside.

Slice polenta lengthwise in ¼-inch thick slices to create “lasagna noodles” (see note).

In an 8-inch-by-8-inch oven-safe glass pan put one layer of polenta “noodles’ overlapping slightly. Top with 1½ cups of meat/sprout mixture followed by 1-cup mozzarella. Repeat polenta and meat layers and top with a generous ½ cup barbecue sauce; top with 1 cup mozzarella.

Bake 20 minutes until nicely browned and bubbling. Allow to rest tented loosely with foil for 15 minutes. Serve with additional Black Swan Barbecue Sauce on the side.

Serves four.

Cook’s note: The easiest way to create the polenta noodles is with a wire-type cheese cutter with roller. It allows you to cut thin. even slices to create the “noodle.”

Mark Clemens, Elgin