Polenta with Smoked Tomato Ragu

• 3 1/2 inch smoked pork chops
• 1 medium onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 cans crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup fresh basil
• 2 Polenta rolls (I sell them in the store)
•  Parmesan cheese
•  Red wine
• salt and pepper to taste
• Chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

OK. You know the drill. The cooking technique is sauté and bake. You handle the ingredient amounts. Remove meat from the smoked pork chops, set aside. In a sauce pan, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil. Add bones of smoked chops. (I'm not kidding) sauté until you can just start to smell the smoky aroma. Add basil leaves, and sauté for another 30 seconds. Slice smoked pork into thin julienne strips and add to pan. Deglaze with red wine and add tomatoes. Let sauce simmer for 1 hour. (The sauce can be made up to 2 days in advance, storing in the refrigerator with the bones in the sauce, in a non-reactive container.) When ready to serve, heat sauce over a low heat until hot, discarding the bones. Slice Polenta into 3/4 inch slices and place on a greased cookie sheet. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top of the Polenta, and bake in a preheated 350 oven for 15 minutes. For serving individually, or on a platter, ladle a thin layer of sauce on the dish. Place Polenta on top of the sauce, and garnish with fresh chopped basil or parsley. Serve remaining sauce on the side. ENJOY!!!! The heartiness of the sauce is balanced well by the tartness and bubbles of the champagne.

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