Sauteed Butternut Squash with Polenta

I was thinking today about the great squash and goat cheese pizza they have at Veggie Planet, and what I could make that would be similar with the squash I had on hand. This smells great and is full of flavor. It would be slightly prettier to serve the cheese sprinkled on top of the squash instead of mixed in, but believe me, it tastes better mixed in and melted.

Sauteed Butternut Squash with Polenta

Squash:
20 oz. cubed butternut squash or pumpkin (about 5-6 cups)
1 large shallot, sliced thinly
1 large garlic clove, chopped
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup water plus more as necessary
1/2 tsp soy sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
2 oz. goat cheese or feta cheese, crumbled

Polenta:
1 cup cornmeal
4 cups water
Salt to taste

Saute the squash, shallot, and garlic in the oil over medium-high about 6 minutes, until the shallot is translucent. Mix together the water and soy sauce (or instead, use half a cup of broth). Add this mixture to the squash, along with thyme, salt, and pepper. Simmer, covered, until the squash is tender, about 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the water boils off before the squash is cooked through, add a little more water. Meanwhile, boil 3 of the 4 cups of water. When boiling, mix together the cornmeal and 1 cup of cold water. Add slowly to the boiling water. Stir over low heat until thickened, about 1 minute. Cover (VERY important, because it will splatter) and cook over the lowest heat you can about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
When the polenta is done, mix the cheese into the squash over low heat just until it begins to melt. Serve alongside or on top of polenta.

Serves 3.