Sauteed Polenta With Roasted Tomatoes Recipes

ROASTED GARLIC POLENTA CAKES

Steps:

• Line a casserole dish with plastic wrap and set aside.
• 2. Preheat a large heavy bottom pot on medium-low heat. Add the butter, onion and garlic and sauté until nicely browned, stirring occasionally.
• Once brown, add the milk and water and turn the heat up to bring to a boil. Keep a close eye on the pot as milk loves to boil over and make a huge mess.
• Just as the milk reaches a boil, reduce heat to medium-low again and using a whisk, slowly stir in the corn meal. Make sure the corn meal is evenly distributed and there is no clumping.
• Season with salt, cumin and paprika and then cook for about 15 minutes. Make sure to give a good stir with a wooden spoon every 5 minutes or so and check that its not burning on the bottom.
• Once the polenta is soft and cooked, its time to stir in the parmesan cheese. Go with fresh grated Parmesano Reggiano if you can.
• Now pour the warm polenta into the plastic lined casserole dish and spread out and compact in an even layer with a wet spatula (so it does not stick) and place in the fridge to cool.
• After 2 hours or so, you can remove the polenta from the dish by lifting the plastic wrap. Place on a cutting board and cut into desired shape. Square, rectangle, circle with a cookie cutter, half moon etc.
• Fry cakes until warm and browned with a little butter in a preheated fry pan on medium heat. Serve as an appy or as part of dinner.

SAUTEED POLENTA TRIANGLES

Steps:

• Melt butter and oil in a small saute pan over low heat. Place garlic and rosemary in pan and saute until garlic turns golden. Remove garlic and rosemary. Saute polenta until browned on both sides.

SAUTEED POLENTA WITH ROASTED TOMATOES

Steps:

• For the polenta: Bring 6 cups water and the salt to a boil over high heat in a medium (6-quart) heavy-bottom pot. Bring remaining 4 cups water to a simmer over medium heat in a small saucepan.
• Gradually add polenta to the large pot while whisking constantly. Switch to a wooden spoon once mixed in with no lumps. Cook until cornmeal has absorbed all of the water, about 3 minutes. Lower heat until only one or two large bubbles break the surface at a time (over medium-low or low, adjusting heat as necessary).
• Stir 2 ladles of simmering water into polenta and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until water has been absorbed, about 5 minutes. Continue to add 2 ladles of water every 5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent polenta from scorching and waiting for it to be absorbed before adding more, until polenta is creamy and just pulls away from sides of pot, about 45 minutes. (It may be necessary to adjust heat.)
• Stir in butter and season with pepper. Use a damp spoon or ladle to transfer polenta to a parchment-lined small rimmed baking sheet and chill until firm.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees for the tomatoes.
• Make the tomatoes: In a shallow baking dish, combine garlic, tarragon, sugar, vinegar, and oil. Add tomatoes and toss to combine; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to oven and bake until soft, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• To finish: Invert chilled polenta onto work surface and remove parchment paper. Trim edges and cut polenta into 4 inch squares. Cut squares in half on the diagonal to form triangles. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium saute pan. Sear triangles on each side until light golden, about 2 minutes per side. Serve polenta with roasted tomatoes and fresh ricotta. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil, and sprinkle with fleur de sel.

SAUTEED POLENTA WITH SWEET ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND BROCCOLI RABE

Steps:

• On a lightly oiled baking sheet spread warm polenta about 3/4 thick and cool to room temperature. Polenta may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.
• In a large non-stick skillet heat 1 tablespoon oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and brown sausage. Add water and cook sausage, covered, turning occasionally, until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove lid and cook mixture until any remaining water is evaporated. Transfer sausage with tongs to a bowl and reserve fat remaining in skillet. Cool sausage slightly and slice diagonally.
• Cut polenta into 1 1/2-inch diamond shapes or squares. In skillet sauté polenta in 2 batches in reserved fat over moderately high heat, turning occasionally, adding additional oil to skillet if necessary, until golden on both sides. Transfer polenta as cooked with a slotted spoon to bowl with sausage and cover.
• In skillet heat remaining tablespoon oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté broccoli rabe with salt to taste, stirring, until just wilted. Add garlic paste and sauté, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in remaining ingredients and simmer, stirring, until tomato paste is incorporated and sauce is slightly thickened. Add sausage and polenta and cook until heated through.
• Serve polenta sprinkled with Parmesan.
• To make basic polenta:
• In a heavy saucepan bring water and salt to a boil and gradually whisk in cornmeal in a thin stream. Cook polenta over moderately low heat (it should be barely boiling), stirring constantly, until very thick and pulls away from side of pan, about 40 minutes for cornmeal and about 15 minutes for instant polenta. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm. Stir polenta just before using. Polenta will keep warm, covered, about 20 minutes. Makes about 3 cups.
• Note: In the traditional method of cooking polenta, forty minutes of constant stirring is required to achieve a lumpless texture and fragrant flavor. However, Italian-food expert Marcella Hazan has developed a method that involves very little stirring during this time. We believe it produces a very good polenta, one nearly as flavorful and smooth as the traditional procedure. To make satisfactory polenta in a real hurry, an imported instant polenta (precooked cornmeal) is available. This cooks in a mere fifteen minutes.

POLENTA WITH ROASTED TOMATOES

Steps:

• Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 450. Toss the tomatoes, olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large ovenproof skillet. Roast in the oven until the tomatoes are charred around the edges, about 25 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 but keep the tomatoes inside.
• Meanwhile, bring 5 cups water to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Slowly whisk in the polenta until smooth and creamy. Add 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat, cover and keep warm.
• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Slice the chard leaves into wide strips and the stems into 1-inch pieces. Boil the stems until almost tender, about 5 minutes, then add the leaves and cook until both are tender, about 3 more minutes. Drain the chard.
• Remove the skillet from the oven and place over medium-high heat. Push the tomatoes to one side, add the butter and swirl until the butter is golden brown. Add the chard and toss to coat. Divide the polenta among 4 bowls. Top with the tomatoes and chard. Season the cheese with salt and sprinkle over the top.