Broiled wedges of polenta with their soft, yielding interior and crisp, golden crust make an excellent alternative to toasted bread. Flavored simply with parmesan and chili, the bruschetta go well served with the Moroccan Slow-Cooked Vegetables on page 159. Try experimenting with different flavorings, such as black olives, herbs, spices, sundried tomatoes, char-broiled eggplants or artichokes. Polenta freezes well—just prepare it up to the point it is cut into triangles, then freeze in individual pieces on a baking sheet. When frozen, transfer the polenta to a ziploc bag for storing, then simply defrost and broil when ready to eat.
Serves: 4–6 Preparation time: 10 minutes, plus 30 minutes chilling Cooking time: 20 minutes
scant 1¼ cups instant polenta
3 tablespoons butter, cubed
¾ cup vegetarian parmesan cheese, finely grated
1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon sea salt
olive oil, for brushing
1 recipe quantity Moroccan Slow-Cooked Vegetables (see page 159), to serve
1. Heat 3½ cups water in a pan over medium-low heat and when warm, gradually stir in the polenta. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to low and simmer, stirring, 10 minutes until thick and smooth; take care as it can splatter. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter, parmesan, red pepper flakes and salt.
2. Lightly grease a large baking tray and spread the polenta into an even layer about ¾ inch thick, then let cool and place in the refrigerator to set. This will take about 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the broiler to high (or you could use a ridged grill pan). Cut the polenta slab into 4 squares, then each one diagonally into a triangle. Brush one side of the polenta with oil and broil 3 to 4 minutes until crisp and golden on the outside. Brush the top of the polenta with more oil, turn it over and broil another 3 to 4 minutes. Serve with the Moroccan Slow-Cooked Vegetables.
Cheesy Chili CornbreadPreheat the oven to 375°F and butter a 2-pound loaf pan. Mix together 1 heaped cup instant polenta, ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon English mustard powder, 1 seeded and chopped red chili and ¾ cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated, in a large mixing bowl. Melt ¼ cup butter and combine with 2 large beaten eggs, 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons buttermilk and 3 tablespoons milk. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and pour into the prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Soft PolentaPour 2 cups Vegetable Stock (see page 14) and ¾ cup milk into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add 1 heaped cup instant polenta in a steady stream, stirring continuously, season with salt and pepper and cook 5 minutes until it is the consistency of soft mashed potato.
Polenta Crust for QuicheFollow the ingredients and method for Polenta Bruschetta, opposite. After making, let it cool about 5 minutes until it starts to firm up slightly. Spoon the polenta into a 10-inch removable-bottomed fluted tart pan that has been greased with olive oil. Spread the polenta evenly over the bottom and up the sides to a thickness of about ¼ inch; there will be some left over, which can be used to patch up any cracks that appear. Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake 30 minutes, or until firm and crisp. Fill the polenta crust with the filling of your choice.
