Zucchini Polenta Recipes

POLENTA WITH ZUCCHINI AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Begin making the polenta. While it's in the oven, cook the squash. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy nonstick skillet, and add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until just about tender, about five minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for a minute or two, until fragrant. Stir in the squash and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and toss together for five to eight minutes, until it is coated with oil and beginning to soften. Add the tomatoes and their juice, the sugar and salt to taste. Turn the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring often, for five to 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down slightly. Turn the heat back down to medium and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and aromatic. If they begin to dry and stick to the pan before the end of the cooking time (if you're using fresh tomatoes, this may happen because there isn't as much juice as with canned tomatoes), add up to 1/4 cup water. Stir in the parsley and mint, and simmer for a few more minutes. Remove from the heat, taste, adjust the salt and add pepper.
• When the polenta is ready, remove from the oven. If adding Parmesan, stir it in. Spoon onto plates, and make a depression in the center. Top with the zucchini. Garnish with additional Parmesan, and serve.

ITALIAN SUMMER SQUASH POLENTA BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Saute carrots, zucchini, squash, onion and bell pepper in a large saucepan with a small amount of olive oil. Season with garlic salt and pepper. Saute vegetables for approximately 5 minutes and pour in spaghetti sauce. Stir, cover and simmer until vegetables are slightly tender.
• Slice polenta into 1/2 inch circles and season with garlic salt and pepper. Heat enough oil in a medium skillet so as to completely cover the entire bottom of the pan. Pan fry seasoned polenta in hot oil, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from oil and layer the slices in a large casserole dish. Spoon the vegetable mixture over the polenta and then sprinkle with Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
• Bake casserole for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

ZUCCHINI POLENTA

Steps:

• Mix the cornmeal and water together in a small bowl.
• Bring the broth and salt to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Lower heat to medium-low and slowly add cornmeal, stirring for about 2 minutes or until the polenta is smooth (use a long-handled spoon to stir the polenta; it bubbles up and will burn).
• Remove pan from heat; add in zucchini, cheddar cheese, and butter; stir until well mixed and cheese is melted.
• Spread mixture into an 8-inch square glass baking dish that has been coated lightly with cooking spray.
• Spoon tomato sauce over the top; sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
• Bake in a 350° oven, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until heated through.
• Let stand 5 minutes, then cut into squares to serve.

ZUCCHINI POLENTA TART

Steps:

• Cook the polenta Preheat the oven to 220°C. Pour the polenta in a 10-inch springform tart pan. While the polenta cooks, rinse the zucchini, trim the ends, and slice thinly, Heat a little olive oil in a large pan, add in the zucchini slices, sprinkle generously with salt, pepper and herbes de provence, and toss to coat. cook on medium-low heat for twenty **but make sure not to turn them to mush. Transfer to a colander, and leave to drain. Put the polenta into the oven for about fifteen minutes, until the top of the polenta turns crusty and golden. Remove from the oven, remove the sides of the springform pan put the disk of polenta on a cookie sheet, and return to the oven for another ten minutes, until the sides are also crusty and golden. Remove from the oven. Flip the disk of polenta, remove the bottom of the springform pan (or the parchment paper) and return on cookie sheet (the not-yet-crispy side will face upwards, the crispy side downwards) and into the oven for a final ten to fifteen minutes, until the disk of polenta is crisp all over. Remove from the oven, and arrange the zucchini slices harmoniously over the top of the polenta disk. Return into the oven for about ten minutes, top with freshly grated parmesan, cut in slices and serve -- warm, at room temperature or cold.