Baked Polenta & Eggs

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven; preheat to 450°F. In a medium pot, heat 2 cups water and a big pinch of salt to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Cut the mushrooms into bite-sized pieces. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. Separate the kale leaves from the stems; discard the stems, then roughly chop the leaves. Grate the fontina on the large side of a box grater. Pick the sage leaves off the stems.

Add the polenta to the pot of boiling water; whisk to thoroughly combine. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming, 3 to 5 minutes, or until the polenta is thickened. Turn off the heat. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the parmesan until melted and combined. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Transfer to a small baking dish; spread into an even layer. 

In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the mushroom pieces in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 3 to 4 minutes, or until browned. Add the chopped garlic and as much of the red pepper flakes as you'd like, depending on how spicy you'd like the dish to be; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until combined and slightly softened. Add the chopped kale; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly wilted. Add 1/4 cup of water (carefully, as the liquid may splatter). Cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes, or until the water has cooked off. Turn off the heat; carefully stir in the vinegar. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. 

To the baking dish of cooked polenta, add the cooked vegetables in an even layer, leaving 2 shallow wells for the eggs. Carefully crack an egg into each well; season with salt and pepper. Evenly top with the grated fontina. Bake 11 to 13 minutes, or until the egg whites are set and the yolks are cooked to your desired degree of doneness. Remove from the oven and let stand at least 2 minutes. 

Meanwhile, rinse and wipe out the pan used to cook the vegetables. In the same pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the sage leaves in an even layer and cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until dark green and crispy. Carefully transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; immediately season with salt. Serve the baked polenta and eggs topped with the fried sage. Enjoy!