Black Swan’s Polenta Pie with Brussels Sprout Slaw

6 strips bacon cut into ½-inch pieces

3 pounds lean ground beef

3 tablespoons flour

1½ cups dry red wine

1 can (14.5 ounces) beef broth

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 bottle (18 ounces) Black Swan Savory Original BBQ Sauce

Polenta topping

3½-4 cups water

2 cups ground polenta (cornmeal)

2 can (14.5 ounces each) creamed corn

2-3 tablespoons chili powder

Slaw

1 pound brussels sprouts, washed and drained

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Juice of 1 large lemon or 2 limes

½ sweet green apple, cored and diced

Kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper

In a Dutch oven, cook bacon; remove cooked pieces to a paper towels to drain. Drain bacon grease and wipe off excess grease in the Dutch oven with a paper towel. Add ground beef and brown thoroughly. Drain off fat.

Sprinkle flour over the meat and stir to combine. Add wine, broth and Worcestershire sauce. Increase heat to maintain a lively simmer. Stir occasionally until the liquid is reduced to a sauce and coats the meat nicely.

Add bacon and Black Swan BBQ Sauce. Simmer uncovered until the sauce is good and thick. You don’t want too much moisture. Cover and simmer another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat, leave on the cover and go to the next step.

For the polenta: Bring 3 cups water in a large sauce pan to a boil over high heat; slowly stir in polenta, then creamed corn, stirring constantly to avoid clumps. Add more water as needed; you want the polenta to have a consistency slightly thicker than mashed potatoes, but thin enough to stir. Remember, you’re going to spread this over the meat filling. Reduce heat; cover and cook at low heat for 15 minutes stirring frequently.

To assemble: Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spread meat into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Drop large spoonfuls of polenta over the meat and gently spread. It does not have to be perfectly smooth. Sprinkle chili powder over the top.

Bake 30-40 minutes until the polenta is golden brown and the filling is bubbling around the edges. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

For the slaw: Chop the brussels sprouts starting at the top to about midway down the stem. Discard stems and chop finely; transfer to a serving bowl. Squeeze lemon or lime juice over the sprouts. Add olive oil, apple, salt and pepper; mix well and refrigerate until ready to serve (make before the rest of the recipe if you want the flavors to meld longer).

Serves 10 to 12.

Cook’s notes: When cooking the bacon and ground beef, drain and remove as much fat as possible or pay the price latter when grease bubbles over and burns up in your oven. Polenta is cornmeal. If you buy a package labeled “polenta” the ingredients are “cornmeal.” So, if you can’t find your favorite imported “polenta,” you will do fine with Aunt Jemima Yellow Cornmeal. However, don’t use a corn muffin mix that contains other ingredients. You want 100 percent cornmeal.

Max Good, founder Black Swan Company