Never been as angry at a dish as I was at this one. (I mean, as angry as you can get making dinner, I guess.) Either I don't know what I'm doing with polenta, or instructions to fry polenta are mean and evil. Polenta explodes... all those little bits of corn pop pop pop in the hot oil, causing much cussing and consternation. I had a dish towel covering the arm of my spatula hand, and a piece of aluminum foil in my other hand as a shield for the rest of me. Add the danger to the fact that the polenta rectangles don't stay in one piece, rendering themselves unpretty plate additions... bah. Hateful.
Other than that, I was pretty happy with dinner. The poached egg oozed dreamily over the lightly-dressed arugula and the polenta blobs provided nice texture and heft. Speaking of the polenta, this was the first time I'd made it with coconut milk and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it. The coconut flavor was a nice twist - I wouldn't do it all the time, but it made for a nice change.
So. If you have an outfit made of silicone and gloves on, make this tasty salad for yourself!
Poached Eggs with Arugula and Polenta Fingers
c/o Bon Appetit Magazine, May 2008
From Oliver Maindroult of Urbane.
1 13.5 to 14 ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
½ cup water
½ cup polenta (coarse cornmeal)
1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 ½ tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
4 large eggs
2 cups arugula
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Fleur de sel
Butter 13x9x2-ince baking pan. Bring coconut milk and ½ water to a boil in heavy medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in polenta; reduce heat and simmer until polenta is very thick and tender, about 7 minutes. Mix in cheese. Pour polenta into half of pan; spread to form 9x6-inch rectangle. Press plastic wrap onto surface of polenta and chill until firm, about 1 hour. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.
Preheat oven to 300°F. Turn polenta out onto cutting board. Cut into 3x1 –inch rectangles. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large nonstick skillet over high heat. Working in batches, add polenta fingers; cook until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to baking sheet; keep warm in oven.
Add enough water to large skillet to reach depth of 2 inches; bring to simmer. Mix in 1 teaspoon coarse salt and white wine vinegar. Crack each egg into separate custard cup. Slide eggs into water and cook until whites are set but centers are still runny, about 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, toss arugula with ½ tablespoon oil and balsamic vinegar in medium bowl; divide among 4 plates.
Top each salad with poached egg. Break yolks with tip of knife. Sprinkle with fleur de sel. Serve with polenta.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Poached Eggs with Arugula and Polenta Fingers
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Creamy Polenta with Arugula and Bacon
I am still disappointed that I only learned about the deliciousness that its polenta a year ago. I don't know how I made it 31 years without it. Seriously. Since then, I've made it in a new recipe 11 times. (I have no idea how many MORE times I've made it - I only track new recipes - but I bet it's a lot.) Leafing through magazines now, if I see a recipe with polenta, I'm 99.9% sure to rip it out. This is the level of my love.I'll be the first to admit (even though, if we're counting, my husband was the first) that this isn't anything special. I mean, it is (it has bacon!), but it didn't have a whole lot going on. I found its simplicity really added to its charm. You can't mess with a good thing. Especially when the good thing in question is comprised of creamy polenta, crisp bacon, and peppery arugula. You could try, but dinner would win. Sucka.
c/o Pam at Cave Cibum
http://cavecibum.blogspot.com/2008/04/creamy-polenta.html
5 cups water
1 cup polenta
pinch of salt
1/2 cup shredded parmesan
4-6 slices of bacon, chopped
1 large bunch of arugula (about 1/2 pound), well washed and dried
shredded pecorino Romano
olive oil
In a medium pot, bring water to a boil. Add polenta in a slow stream, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low and add a hefty pinch of salt. Stir frequently to prohibit sticking. The polenta is done when big lava-like bubbles form and the grains are no longer hard. Stir in parmesan and set aside.
In a sauté pan, fry bacon on medium heat until the meat is nicely browned. Pour off as much fat as possible, then add arugula and let it wilt. Add a little of the bacon fat back in if it seems too dry.
To serve, heap the polenta on a dish and top with the arugula and bacon mixture. Sprinkle with shredded or shaved pecorino Romano and drizzle with olive oil.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Chile-Rubbed Short Ribs with Creamy Polenta and Cotija Cheese
Over the next stretch of time, I'm going to trot out some of my older posts. In fact, I want to have something like Twilight Zone Thursday or something (I'm taking suggestions)... a nice, friendly way for us to all share those posts we've had kicking around, under the bed, lost in the couch, kicked under the oven. If there is enough interest, I'd be happy to try doing a round-up, too. Our poor neglected recipes should feel like stars, too!Every so often, I let Dave pick out something he'd like me to make from one of his favorite cookbooks (of mine, he doesn't have any cookbooks!) They are usually all-day affairs, but I don't mind because they're always worth it in the end. This time, he chose a recipe from Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill cookbook. I want to say, too, that this was his main birthday dinner in November... but its been a while, so I'm fuzzy on the details. :)
These ribs were so tender and delicious. I like that the directions call for bone removal, because ever since I had braces, I'm hesitant to eat ribs. (And corn on the cob, since I'm sharing.) Plenty of warming heat - but that's ok, because the creamy polenta more than made up for it. The muffins you see in the top picture were so good, they're getting their own post - I promise!
While start-to-finish this dinner took a few hours, it really wasn't difficult. The ribs got a nice spice rub, seared, and then popped in the oven. While they finished, I pulled the polenta together. Super easy!
Chile-Rubbed Short Ribs with Creamy Polenta and Cotija Cheese
c/o Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill Cookbook: Explosive Flavors from the Southwestern Kitchen
,3 tablespoons New Mexico red chile powder
Kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, preferably Mexican cinnamon (canela)
2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
3 pounds bone-in short ribs
½ canola oil, plus extra as needed
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 medium Spanish onion, coarsely chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
1 cup red wine
4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
6 sprigs fresh thyme
Freshly ground black pepper
Creamy Polenta with Cotija (recipe follows)
Preheat the oven to 325° F.
Mix together the chile powder, 2 teaspoons salt, the cinnamon and the coarsely ground black pepper in a small bowl. Lay the ribs on a baking sheet and season one side with the spice mixture, rubbing the mixture in so that it adheres to the meat.
Heat the oil in a large ovenproof Dutch oven over high heat until it shimmers. Working in batches, place the ribs in a single layer, rub side down, in the oil and cook until a crust has formed and the ribs are golden brown. Turn the ribs over and cook until the second side is golden brown. Remove to a plate and repeat with the remaining ribs, adding more oil if needed.
Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the fat in the pan and add the garlic, onion, carrots, and celery and cook until golden brown and caramelized, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the wine and boil until nearly reduced, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a simmer.
Return the ribs to the pan along with the thyme and bring to a simmer. Place the lid on the pan and place it in the oven. Cook until the meat is tender and falling off the bone, 2 to 2 ½ hours.
Carefully remove the ribs to a large plate and let cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones and discard the bones.
Strain the sauce into a medium saucepan and return it to the stove over high heat. Bring the sauce to a boil and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until reduced to a sauce consistency, 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and discard the thyme sprigs. Return the ribs to the pan to reheat.
Serve over creamy polenta with cotija in large, shallow bowls.
Serves 4.
Creamy Polenta with Cotija
c/o Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill Cookbook: Explosive Flavors from the Southwestern Kitchen
,5 cups low-sodium chicken stock
Kosher salt
1 cup medium-grind white cornmeal
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
¼ cup heavy cream
1/3 cup grated cotija cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
Combine the stock and two teaspoons salt in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the cornmeal in a fine stream, whisking constantly with a wire whisk. Once all the cornmeal has been added, reduce the heat to low and cover the pan. Stir the mixture, using a wooden spoon, every 5 minutes and continue cooking until all the liquid has been absorbed and the mixture is very creamy, 25 to 30 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, heavy cream, and cotija cheese until combined; season with salt and pepper.
Serves 4.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Polenta Fontina Panini with Mushroom Sauce
I won't bother with applicable chatter today. I woke up on the wrong side of the bed and I can't decide if I want to take a nap or cuss for no reason. It's still close to lunchtime here, so if I went out to my car to blurt obscenities, people might see me... and being the New Girl, I don't want to give anyone the wrong idea. Heh.
Two things that amuse me:
1. The syncopation of this recipe. Polenta-Fontina-Panini. Polenta-Fontina-Panini. (Reminds me a little of the zucchini-ricotta-frittata, actually.) Repeat it a few times and it loses its meaning, but I don't mind.
2. Totally unrelated - I had to take Squito (one of my cats) to the vet Monday. He had an awful looking limp and seemed pitiful. I got him to the vet, the vet had him walk around and the little fuzzy jerk didn't limp. He didn't even cry when the vet poked him. Dr. Z seemed to think my faker cat is fine, just old, maybe a pulled muscle, blah blah... and gave me a prescription of chondroitin for him. CHONDROITIN!!! I love that! I love that my noisy fat furball gets to be treated like an old man and have joint medicine mixed into his food. Is that weird? Maybe. But whatever. I like it, so it stays. Soon he'll be asking me to pull his finger.
Recipe notes: We had this way back in November, so the details are a little fuzzy. I know I liked it and thought it was easy. I want to say that Dave didn't love it but didn't hate it (he's only so-so on sun-dried tomatoes and they're featured prominently in this). I know I enjoyed the messy little stacks in made, too. I think it was a really nice healthy vegetarian dinner, but I can see how the addition of some Italian sausage might make it spectacular.
Polenta Fontina Panini with Mushroom Sauce
c/o The Washington Post Food Section
http://projects.washingtonpost.com/recipes/2007/11/07/polenta-fontina-paninis-mushroom-sauce/
2 to 3 small shallots
1 tablespoon thyme leaves (may substitute 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
1 18-ounce roll cooked polenta (ends trimmed)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 pound sliced mixed mushrooms, such as cremini, shiitake and button
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded fontina cheese
Mince the shallots and the thyme leaves. Cut the polenta crosswise in half, then cut each half into quarters, then cut each of those quarters in half, making 16 equal slices total; set aside.
Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for 3 minutes, stirring, until they have softened. Add the sliced mushrooms, thyme, salt and pepper; cook for 5 minutes, stirring, or until the mushrooms are tender and have exuded liquid. Reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting; keep warm.
Meanwhile, finely chop the sun-dried tomatoes and combine with the shredded fontina cheese.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of butter on a large nonstick griddle over medium heat until the butter is bubbly. Arrange 8 polenta slices on the griddle and sprinkle them with the tomato-cheese mixture, using most of it. Top with the remaining 8 polenta slices to form sandwiches. Cook for 3 minutes, then carefully turn over the sandwiches and cook for 3 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the polenta has deepened in color. (For an optional panini effect, place a second pan or heavy pot on the sandwiches to press them.) Turn off the heat; sprinkle the remaining tomato-cheese mixture on top of the 8 sandwiches so that it melts slightly and let sit for 1 minute; transfer to individual plates (2 sandwiches per serving) and top with the mushroom mixture. Serve immediately.
Recipe Source:
Adapted from "The Great Big Butter Cookbook," edited by Diana von Glahn (Running Press, 2007).
290 calories, 16g fat, 9g saturated fat, 48mg cholesterol, 505mg sodium, 26g carbohydrates, 2g dietary fiber, 11g protein.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
It's a Great Day to be Alive
Those words were spoken to me a week ago today by a woman in my apartment building. Her admission echoed the exact thing I'd been thinking at that very same time. I had just been to the farmer's market and to the bookstore, the weather was cool, crisp and sunny, the sky a blue you could get lost in... I was absolutely in love with life. And for that woman, a woman I didn't know, to utter those words at that time... it was cosmic.
I've also decided that if I were to ever run away from home, it would happen on a Sunday morning. There is something so soul satisfying about the farmer's market... I feel on top of the world and capable of anything. And it isn't limited to the market itself. The drive itself to market excites me. If my car could skip, we'd be skipping to market. The vibrant colors of the fruits and vegetables, their scents... their potential... I love it! My husband will come along on the odd weekend, but only for the ham-and-cheese croissants! I make sure to bring some home with me if I go alone, though. Win-win. :)
If you're thinking, "Yah, thats great, but what about dinner???" then this is where it gets good. Last Sunday, my wonderful girlfriend Liane came over for the afternoon and we put this together for our families! Sure, she may have questioned everything I did, but I'll keep her! ;)
I'd picked up the lovely leg of lamb from my favorite butcher a few weeks ago and I'd been itching to make it. I'd picked out this recipe from my 86 Recipes New York box, and we got started!
The lamb was easy-peasy... just a matter of mixing the herbs and letting them soak for a while and then grilling.
The salsa was the same way... roast and blend. Ta-daa! It was spicy but not in a mean way. Even Liane liked it (and she doesn't like hot-hot)!
The polenta had a few extra steps, but they were well worth it. WELL worth it. I plan on making it again this week (just the polenta) and maybe even double the recipe! Liane and I decided that next time, we need to let the polenta cool in a thicker layer... the wee skinny little triangles were impossible to flip in one piece (which is why they are so mangled in the photo). Delicious, yes, pretty, no. :)
And lastly, the salad... this recipe makes a lot of salad. A lot. Seriously a lot. Only make the full batch if you're feeding more than 10 people. Honest. The salad itself was fresh and dainty - a nice foil for the spicy salsa and polenta.
This was one of those meals that melds beautifully together, and you're going to want to get a little of everything onto your fork for each bite. Everyone seemed to like it, and I definitely want to try it all again. And again.
Grilled Leg of Lamb with Ancho-Tomato-Tamarind Salsa
From: Village Restaurant
c/o 86 Recipes, New York
Lamb:
¼ cup olive oil
3 Tbsp dried oregano
3 large garlic cloves, finely minced
1 ½ Tbsp whole cumin seed
Ground black pepper
1 (4- to 5-lb) leg of lamb, boned, butterflied, trimmed of almost all fat
Salsa:
4 large beefsteak tomatoes, whole with stem removed
1 large white onion, peeled and cut into thick slices
6 cloves garlic, peeled
¼ cup olive oil
1-2 dried ancho chilies, soaked till soft in hot water, seeded
3 Tbsp tamarind paste
2 Tbsp smoked sweet paprika
Salt to taste
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar, or more to taste
Fresh Corn-Basil Polenta, recipe follows
Jicama-Orange Salad, recipe follows
For lamb:
Blend together ingredients of marinade and rub over lamb, especially on the inside. Cover, chill at least 8 hours or overnight.
Heat grill (medium-high). Remove lamb from marinade. Sprinkle both sides of lamb generously with salt and more pepper. Grill lamb until brown and crusty on outside and thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 125°F for medium-rare, turning occasionally, about 20-30 minutes.
Transfer to platter and tent with foil. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut on diagonal, across grain, into thin slices.
Salsa:
Roast first 3 ingredients dressed with olive oil on baking tray in 425F oven till soft (approx. 20 minutes). (Can also be cooked in a roasting pan over the charcoal, with grill lid on).
Add the rest of the ingredients and process until smooth in food processor.
To serve, reheat gently, add a little water if too thick. Adjust seasoning.
Serve with Fresh Corn-Basil Polenta and Jicama-Orange Salad.
Fresh Corn-Basil Polenta
From: Village Restaurant
c/o 86 Recipes, New York
2 cups milk
1 Tbsp chopped garlic, sautéed in a little olive oil
3 ½ cups fresh raw corn kernels
2 sprigs basil
1 scant cup cornmeal
1 roasted poblano pepper, finely chopped
¼ cup butter
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
Salt and ground black pepper
Boil milk, with garlic, 2 cups corn and basil. Remove basil and blend.
Strain through a coarse chinoise. Bring to a boil and whisk in cornmeal, pouring it in a shower.
Return to heat till mixture thickens and continue cooking for 3 minutes.
Remove from heat and add extra kernels, poblano peppers, butter, cheese, and season with salt and pepper. Place onto foil-lined tray, 1 inch thick. Refrigerate.
To serve, slice into triangles and remove with flexible spatula. Dredge in cornmeal and brown in nonstick pan on both sides (can be fragile).
Jicama-Orange Salad
From: Village Restaurant
c/o 86 Recipes, New York
4 small jicamas, peeled and cut into a large julienne
3 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and sliced not too thin
5 oranges, peeled and cut into segments
½ small red onion, sliced thinly
Dressing:
¼ cup lime juice
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper
½ cup each tightly packed mint and cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
Toss the salad ingredients together and top with the dressing.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Old Favorites, Part One: The Way We Were
(No, we aren't robots. Just a little bit on autpilot.)
Anyway, I have a slew of tasty, amusing things to show you. Some new foods (and non-south beach diet, for a change), and some old, but they turned out a different way... which was a little weird.
For now, I'm off to bed. G'night! See the recipe...
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Grilled Chicken & Polenta with Nectarine-Blackberry Salsa
If you're a regular reader of this blog, you'll have noticed my adoration of polenta. I don't think I'd ever really experienced it before this past April, but I've tried to fit it in as much as possible since. When I'm on my own for dinner, I used to have a bowl of cereal... now I whip up some polenta instead. Almost just as easy, but so yummy!! (I'll still indulge in a bowl of Peanut Butter Puffins, don't worry!)
This is the first time I'd cooked with pre-made polenta. I love that the whole tube only had 140 calories!!! The recipe called for plain polenta, but my Wegmans didn't carry plain (weird!), so I used sun-dried tomato.
We rent and thusly don't own a grill, but my square grill pan stood in nicely. I couldn't fit everything onto the pan, as the recipe instructs, so I started with the nectarines and chicken. I figured that the chicken needed to rest a bit before slicing, and the polenta didn't need to long in the pan. Worked out well.
I smooshed the blackberries down, as Dave doesn't care for their texture whole, which made the whole salsa purple - which I found pretty. :)
Now, I was a little worried, as the inclusion of fruit actually IN our dinner is a new concept for us, but each ingredient did their job beautifully. The crusty goodness of the outside of the polenta married nicely with its creamy interior. The juicy fruit made friends with both polenta and chicken. And all together in one bite was heaven.
This recipe comes from Eating Well magazine (link below), which I find to be a really fantastic resource for seasonal, healthy recipes. If you haven't checked it out already, grab it the next time you're at the bookstore. You won't be disappointed. :)
Grilled Chicken & Polenta with Nectarine-Blackberry Salsa
Eating Well Magazine, August 2007
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/chicken_salsa_polenta.html
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon canola oil, divided
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 16- to 18-ounce tube prepared plain polenta
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed
2 nectarines, halved and pitted
1 pint blackberries, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice
Hot sauce to taste
Preheat grill to medium-high.
Combine 1 tablespoon oil, cumin, 3/4 teaspoon salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub 1 teaspoon of the mixture all over polenta. Rub the rest into both sides of chicken. Cut the polenta crosswise into 8 slices. Rub the cut sides of nectarine halves with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil.
Oil the grill rack. Place the chicken, polenta slices and nectarines on the grill. Grill the polenta until hot and slightly charred, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a clean plate; tent with foil to keep warm. Grill the nectarines, turning occasionally, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes total. Grill the chicken, until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 6 to 8 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken and nectarines to a cutting board. Coarsely chop the nectarines. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, then thinly slice.
While the chicken rests, combine the chopped nectarines, blackberries, cilantro, lime juice, hot sauce and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Layer the polenta, chicken and fruit salsa on 4 plates and serve.
Makes 4 servings.
Per serving: 317 calories; 8 g fat (1 g sat, 4 g mono); 63 mg cholesterol; 34 g carbohydrate; 27 g protein; 6 g fiber; 694 mg sodium; 458 mg potassium.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Baked Polenta with Swiss Chard and Cheese
My CSA Farmer, Ellen, includes a little bulletin with each delivery. The very first week, she asked that we learn to like swiss chard, as we'd be seeing it a lot throughout the course of the summer. I'd neither purchased nor knowingly consumed swiss chard, so I had no preconceived notions on it. First impression - its enormous. People should warn you. I mean, I could fan myself with one, should the AC go out. Whilst I'm fed cool grapes.... I digress. Friends with chard, got it.
I've noticed a trend with the two chard recipes I've used thus far - both had ricotta cheese. I don't know if that means something... it could just be that I gravitate to ricotta cheese.
At any rate, this dish is polenta based, and its built in layers, like a lasagne. I credit (blame) my friend Stephanie with our new-found-love of polenta. I don't how how I got by 31 years without it. The creamy polenta was mixed with the ricotta and layered with the sauteed swiss chard and fresh mozzarella cheese, once repeated. Baked in the oven and then given a chance to rest and meld. Please please please give it the resting period. If you don't, it will ooze all over and not hold up enough to be scooped out. Trust me. (As someone that's only recently learned to wait. ;) )
I didn't do anything fancy with the chicken breasts we had along with the polenta/ricotta/chard casserole, just roasted in the same oven with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. I purposefully neglected the chicken, thinking that the mix of flavors in the polenta would make up for it - and I was right!
Baked Polenta with Swiss Chard and Cheese
Bon Appetit Magazine, November 2002
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/107270
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large white onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 pound Swiss chard, thick stems and ribs removed, leaves cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips 3 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup polenta (coarse cornmeal) or yellow cornmeal 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
2 large eggs
2 cups coarsely grated low-fat mozzarella cheese (about 8 ounces)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil a 2-quart glass baking dish. Heat oil in a heavy large deep skillet over medium heat. Add onion; sauté until tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in garlic and crushed red pepper, then chard; cover and cook until chard is tender, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Uncover; stir until any excess liquid in skillet evaporates. Season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, bring 3 1/2 cups water and salt to boil in heavy large saucepan. Gradually stir polenta into boiling water. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until polenta is very thick, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
Whisk ricotta and eggs in bowl; whisk in 1 cup hot polenta. Stir ricotta mixture into polenta in saucepan. Spread half of polenta mixture in baking dish. Spread half of chard mixture over. Sprinkle with half of mozzarella. Repeat layering with remaining polenta, chard, and cheese. Bake until puffed and brown on top, about 45 minutes. Cool 30 minutes.
Makes 8 servings.
Per serving: calories, 259; total fat, 12 g; saturated fat, 5 g; cholesterol, 79 mg
Friday, June 15, 2007
Halibut in Thai Curry Sauce over Fresh Corn Polenta
Sure, we just had halibut a couple of days ago... but I think I've mentioned I like to eat something over and over again to get a feel for it... at least I used a different recipe!! :)
Well, that and Dave specifically requested seafood... he'd picked out a bottle of wine he wanted to have with dinner, so I needed to pick a dinner that went with it.
This dinner had a lot of things going for it. For starters, it allowed me to use some of my CSA summer squash (in place of the zucchini), it called for red Thai curry paste, which we love, and it had creamy, dreamy, lovely polenta. You can't really see it in the picture, because the sauce is so saucy, but there really is a heaping pile of polenta in there. I promise. I wouldn't lie about polenta.
My substituted lite coconut milk for regular and I used frozen organic corn kernels instead of fresh-off-the-cob. I would suggest, if you decide to make this at home for a crowd, get more fish. There was ample polenta, veg, and sauce to serve at least 6.
Halibut in Thai Curry Sauce over Fresh Corn Polenta
Whole Foods Market
http://www.wholefoods.com/recipes/seafood/halibut_thaicurry.html
Fresh Corn Polenta
4 cups water
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup polenta
2 ears corn, kernels removed (2 TB reserved for curry below)
2 TB butter
Coconut Red Curry Sauce
1 to 3 tsp red curry paste, or to taste
1 can (15 oz) coconut milk
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
3 TB fish sauce
2 TB brown sugar
2/3 cup chicken or vegetable stock
2 TB fresh lime juice
2 medium zucchini, chopped
2 medium red bell pepper, chopped
8 oz cremini mushrooms
2 TB corn kernels, (reserved from above)
1 1/4 lb halibut, skinned and cut into 4 pieces
In a heavy medium saucepan, bring four cups salted water to a boil. Slowly add polenta and whisk continuously for one minute. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 20 minutes, stirring periodically. Add corn kernels to polenta and cook 5 more minutes. Remove from heat, add butter, and mix well.
While polenta cooks, combine curry paste with coconut milk in a large heavy skillet and simmer on medium low heat for 5 minutes. Add basil, fish sauce, brown sugar, stock, lime juice, reserved corn kernels and chopped vegetables. Simmer for 4 more minutes. Add halibut and simmer, covered, for 10 more minutes or until halibut is opaque and cooked through, flipping once. Set aside and keep warm.
Serve halibut over polenta with curry sauce ladled on top.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Parmesan and Polenta Chicken
Chicken dinner number three did not disappoint. The combination of the spinach, basil, corn, and dressing... it was like healthy freshness in your mouth. I'm a big fan of slicing the chicken breasts in half horizontally, cuts the cooking time in half and it makes it easier to control my portions.
The polenta gave the chicken a really nice crunch. As I was prepping, I realized I was out of lemons, so I substituted limes.
I don't really know what else to say, other than, go out and make this dinner. Its perfect for springtime, and you can feel good about eating it. Brooke loved the recipe too, and she totally beat me to it. If two brand-new food bloggers accidentally make it in the same week and both love it, its got to mean something. :)
Parmesan and Polenta Chicken
Donna Hay Magazine, Issue 31
2 cobs corn, husks and silks removed
olive oil for brushing
2 chicken breasts (7 oz each)
flour for dusting
2 eggs, lightly whisked
½ cup polenta
1/3 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 ½ oz baby spinach leaves
½ basil leaves
grated parmesan cheese, extra to serve
dressing
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons honey
sea salt and cracked black pepper
To make the dressing, place the mustard, lemon juice, garlic, oil, honey, salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Brush the corn with oil, place in a baking dish and roast for 25 minutes or until golden. Slice the kernels from the corn and set aside.
Slice the chicken in half horizontally, dust with the flour, dip into the egg and press into the combined polenta and parmesan to coat. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and cook the chicken for 2-3 minutes each side or until golden and cooked through. Arrange the chicken, corn spinach and basil on plates and spoon over the dressing and grated parmesan to serve.
Serves 4.
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
We Love Polenta!
Thursday, April 26, 2007
April Supper Club!
Chorizo Puffs (BunUelos de Chorizo) http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_12011,00.html Bunuelos Dough: Sauté the chorizo in a skillet for a couple of minutes until it starts to give off its oil. (Drain off some oil if there is a lot.) To make the dough, place in a saucepan over medium heat the water, butter and salt. When the water comes to a boil and the butter has melted, add the flour all at once. Lower the heat and stir with a wooden spoon until the dough leaves the sides of the pan and forms a ball. Continue cooking and stirring for 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and beat in the eggs 1 at a time. The dough will separate, then hold together again. (This step may be done effortlessly in a food processor; once the flour has been added and forms a ball, transfer the dough to the processor. Process for 15 seconds. Add both eggs and beat for 45 seconds.) Combine the Bunuelo dough with the chorizo. (This can also be done in the processor.) (May be prepared ahead.) In a skillet heat the oil at least 1/2-inch deep to about 380 degrees F. Drop the dough by teaspoonfuls into the oil and fry over medium hear, turning occasionally, until puffed and golden. Drain on paper towels. (May be kept warm in 200 degree F oven up to 30 minutes.) Chipotle Dipping Sauce Gourmet Magazine http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/101573 2 large egg yolks at room temperature Venetian Sausage Bites Adapted from: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_32411,00.html Fill a large, deep skillet 1/2 way with water. Bring the water to a steady simmer and add the sausages. Poach the sausages for 6 to 7 minutes, until firm. Drain the sausages and slice into bite-size pieces. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. When hot, add the sausage and cook until brown. Drain off the fat and add the balsamic vinegar. Simmer until vinegar is reduced and syrupy. Top sausage rounds with goat cheese. Serve immediately. Polenta Bites with Caramelized Mushrooms For the mushrooms: Cook the polenta: In a medium, heavy pot over high heat bring the cream, stock, salt, and nutmeg to a boil. Add the polenta gradually, whisking constantly. When the mixture thickens, switch to a wooden spoon and adjust the heat to maintain a bare simmer. Cook, stirring often, until thick, smooth, and creamy, about 15 minutes. Add the Parmesan and stir. Keep the polenta warm over low heat, stirring occasionally. If the polenta gets dry as it sits, stir in about 1/4 cup of warm stock or cream. Sauté the mushrooms: In a medium skillet over high heat, heat the olive oil. When the oil is hot, sprinkle in the mushrooms and onions in a single layer. Let them sizzle until they have caramelized on the bottom, about 2 minutes. When the bottoms are caramelized, toss them once and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Continue for about 5 minutes. Season mushrooms with salt and pepper. Add the butter and cook until it begins to brown, then add the garlic. Continue to cook until the garlic begins to brown. Add the thyme and cook for about 10 seconds. Add the lemon juice and cook until the liquid evaporates. Add the wine, and simmer until the mushrooms are glazed with the sauce. Add the parsley. Then stir and remove the pan from the heat. Place or pipe about 1 tablespoon of warm polenta onto a spoon. Place about 1/2 teaspoon of the mushroom on top of the polenta. Garnish with grated Parmesan. Serve immediately. Coffee Flan http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/233813 Creamy Caramel Flan Liane Jones, from April Supper Club http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Creamy-Caramel-Flan/Detail.aspx Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a small, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, cook sugar, stirring, until golden. Pour into a 10 inch round baking dish, tilting to coat bottom and sides. Set aside. Chick-Peas and Spinach Tapas If using fresh spinach: Cook the spinach in a saucepan with the water clinging to its leaves, stirring, until wilted. Drain, squeeze dry, and finely chop. If using frozen spinach, follow package directions, drain, squeeze dry, and finely chop. In a bowl combine the spinach with the chick peas, pepper, chives, lemon juice, oil, salt, and pepper. Serve as is or chilled with toasted bread or as a filling for pita pockets. Sausage-Stuffed Mushrooms 3 Italian hot sausages, casings removed Olive oil Brush 15x10x2-inch glass baking dish with olive oil to coat. Brush cavity of each mushroom cap with white wine; fill with scant 1 tablespoon filling and sprinkle with some of remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Arrange mushrooms, filling side up, in prepared dish. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.) Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake uncovered until mushrooms are tender and filling is brown on top, about 25 minutes. Goat Cheese Bites Mediterranean Apricots Assemble apricots on a serving plate, spoon a dollop of goat cheese on each apricot. Top with a walnut.
Wednesday night, my friend Liane hosted our April Supper Club. We decided that night that we should name ourselves, but haven't nailed one down. We've had almost-monthly suppers since October, so its high-time we had a name. Suggestions?
As hostess, Liane chose the theme: Tapas. She'd gotten these adorable tapas plates for Christmas and was itching to use them. (I would be too - they're great!!) She and I both had gotten this lovely tapas book for xmas as well - so we were well prepared. (Not that either of us actually chose recipes from it, but whatevs!)
I'm not sure how we do this every month, but its very six-degrees-of-kevin-bacon. You can start with a dish and connect them through to almost every other dish, everything always goes so well. Even more surprising because only half the members decide what they're making more than a day or two ahead of time. We're connected, Ladies!
I'll start with the bottom left hand corner and go clock-wise around:
Marcie has a supper club rule: goat cheese. Thus far, every single recipe has included goat cheese. I also blame her for my current goat cheese addiction. Her Venetian Sausage Bites were tasty little mouthfuls - the sausage is poached, sliced, browned, and then simmered in balsamic vinegar. Yum!! I knew I'd love them, their sausage/balsamic/goat cheese charms were too much to resist!
Next, we have Sara's Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms. (sausage-sausage) Sara is our newest member, brought by Stephanie last month and she liked us well enough to come back (and host next month! Thanks again!!) Her stuffing was the perfect mesh of sausage and cheese and had a really great texture (due to the cream cheese?) When you bit into it (assuming you didn't just pop the whole thing into your mouth) it didn't crumble into bits, instead giving you two great non-messy bites. They reheated really well, to boot (yay leftovers!)
Top left corner were my Chorizo Puffs with Chipotle Sauce. (sausage-sausage) I'd never done that whole dough-made-on-the-stove thing, as you would with cream puffs, and I found it much easier than I thought. The "puffs" were less puffy and more dense, but it was still a nice contrast with the sausage bits. The sauce was nice and spicy and still creamy, and couldn't have been easier to make in the food processer.
Top right corner you'll find Rachel's Chick-Peas and Spinach Tapas. (connectionless - you just had to be different, didn't you? :)) She served them with pitas, and it was just perfect. Her tapas were light and refreshing, and I really enjoyed the pop of the chickpeas. Rachel has opened my eyes to spinach (I previously disliked it, but she served us a terrific spinach salad at an earlier dinner) and for that, I thank her!
On the spoon is one of Stephanie's Polenta Bites with with Caramelized Mushrooms. (mushrooms-mushrooms) She said it was the first time she'd made polenta that didn't come from a log, and I'm glad she did! These bites were creamy and delicious! I've never made polenta in any fashion, but these little bites sent me out to the store for some polenta! Yum!
Bottom right, you'll see Sara's second dish. (goat cheese-goat cheese) She spoils us. When asked what she called them, she said "Apricot Goat Cheesy Things." I'll take it!! They were yummy, happy little bites, perfect as a snack, an appetizer, or a light dessert! Sara made the point that you should use medoterramean apricots, rather than californian, because they are more tender. Go out and get some - now! :)
We finished the evening with Liane's flans. She made two, but somehow I only have a photo of one. They were creamy and delicious. I think I could have happily eaten an entire flan in one sitting all by myself. And I don't think I was the only one. ;)
Recipe courtesy Pilar Sanchez
Bunuelo Dough
Oil, for frying
1 cup water
3 tablespoons butter
3/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour
2 eggs
2 teaspoons white-wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups olive or vegetable oil or a combination of the two
3 canned chipolte chilies or to taste, minced (wear rubber gloves) plus 3 tablespoons of the juice, or to taste
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup sour cream
In a bowl with an electric mixer or a whisk beat together the egg yolks, the vinegar, the mustard, and the salt, add 1/2 cup of the oil, drop by drop, beating and add the remaining 1 cup oil in a stream, beating until the mixture is emulsified. Stir in the chilies with the juice, the lemon juice, and the sour cream and chill the dipping sauce, covered, for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Makes about 2 1/4 cups.
Marcie Patchett, April Supper Club
6 sweet Italian sausages
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup balsamic vinegar
5 ounces goat cheese
Stephanie Wright, from April Supper Club
Adapted from: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_32410,00.html?rsrc=search
3 cups heavy cream
2 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon finely ground sea salt, preferably gray salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 cup polenta
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound button or cremini mushrooms, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
Finely ground salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley leaves
Liane Jones, from April Supper Club
3/4 cup sugar
1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk (1 1/4 cups)
3 3/4 cups whole milk
5 large eggs
4 1/2 teaspoons instant-coffee granules dissolved in 4 teaspoons hot water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
Cook sugar in a dry small heavy saucepan over moderate heat, undisturbed, until it begins to melt. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally with a fork, until sugar melts into a deep golden caramel. Immediately pour into a 9-inch round ceramic or glass baking dish or metal cake pan (2 inches deep) and tilt dish to coat bottom (use caution, dish will be hot). Cool until hardened, 10 to 15 minutes.
Blend remaining ingredients in a blender, in 2 batches if your blender is small, until smooth. Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve over caramel in dish, then transfer dish to a 17- by 11-inch roasting pan lined with a kitchen towel. Cover dish loosely with a piece of foil, then pour enough boiling-hot water into roasting pan to reach 1 inch up side of dish. Bake until custard is set but still wobbly in center when gently shaken and a knife inserted in center comes out clean, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Transfer dish to a rack to cool completely, about 40 minutes. Chill flan, covered, until cold, at least 8 hours.
To unmold flan, run a thin knife around edge of dish to loosen flan. Invert a large platter with a lip over dish. Holding dish and platter securely together, quickly invert and turn out flan onto platter. Caramel will pour out over and around flan.
Cooks' note:
Flan can be chilled up to 1 day (before unmolding).
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
1 (8 ounce) package cream
cheese, softened
5 eggs
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 fluid ounce) can
evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Rachel Zurowski, from April Supper Club
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_12090,00.html
19-ounce can (2 cups) chick-peas, drained and rinsed
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives
1 to 2 lemons, juiced or to taste
1/4 to 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Pita, for serving
Sara Mies, from April Supper Club
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/107246
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
1 large egg yolk
24 large (about 2-inch-diameter) mushrooms, stemmed
1/3 cup dry white wine
Sauté sausage and oregano in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until sausage is cooked through and brown, breaking into small pieces with back of fork, about 7 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage mixture to large bowl and cool. Mix in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder, then cream cheese. Season filling with salt and pepper; mix in egg yolk.
Makes 24.
Sara Mies, April Supper Club
Plain Goat Cheese
Caramelized Walnuts
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