Polenta with Tomato-Spinach Ragout

Dear friend Anne sent this recipe to me last year--unsure where she got it or if she made it up herself--and I recall it being quite tasty! So when BW expressed an interest in a polenta dish for dinner, I pulled this recipe out with glee for tonight's rainy-day dinner. Here it is:

SOFT POLENTA WITH TOMATO-SPINACH RAGOUT

1.5 cups cornmeal
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
3/4 cup grated Parm (or similar) cheese
4 tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1 pint cherry tomatoes
5 garlic cloves, minced
10 oz. fresh spinach, stemmed
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar to start, then more to taste (I recall using more)

1. In a medium saucepan, combine cornmeal, 1 tsp salt, and 4.5 cups of water to boil, then reduce to medium-low heat. Whisk every few minutes for about 25 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in cheese; season with salt and pepper.

2. Meanwhile, in large skillet, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute until they are brown around the edges, about 15 minutes. Transfer to plate.

3. Add remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil and cherry tomatoes to the skillet. Saute for 5 minutes, then add the garlic and half a cup of water. Cook for 5-10 minutes, or until the tomatoes begin to collapse. If they are not collapsing, crush them or pierce them with a fork. Add the spinach and cook, stirring until it wilts, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat, add balsamic vinegar, and season with salt & pepper.

4. Spoon the hot polenta onto plates, making a depression in each mound. Spoon spinach-tomato ragout into depression, then spoon onions on top (alternatively, mix onions back in with ragout first to reheat & then serve all together). Serve immediately.