Cheddar Polenta Cakes and Brown Sugar Bacon

For the polenta:
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tsp. salt
1 cup polenta (medium- or coarse-ground cornmeal)
1 tsp. pepper
2 T. butter
1/2 cup grated cheddar
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley, divided (optional)

For the bacon:

1 lb (450 g) bacon (about 16 slices)

1/2 cup brown sugar

Grease a 12-cup muffin tin. In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a boil. Add the salt and whisk in the polenta. Simmer on low for 5 minutes, whisking frequently to get rid of any lumps. Once it forms a smooth paste, cover the pot and simmer for half an hour. Give the polenta a vigorous stir with a wooden spoon every 5 minutes. When the polenta is almost too thick to stir, take off the heat. Mix in pepper, butter, cheese and half the chopped parsley. Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin tins. Let cool, uncovered, in the fridge for 2 hours or, ideally, overnight. Before serving, sprinkle the reserved parsley overtop. To make the bacon, preheat the oven to 425F (220C). Place an oven-safe metal wire rack on top of parchment paper in a baking sheet. Spread out the bacon evenly on the rack. Distribute the sugar over the bacon. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until browned and mostly crispy, depending on the thickness of your bacon. This can be made ahead and served at room temperature.