HONEYED BREAKFAST POLENTA WITH PLUM, BLACKBERRY AND NIB COMPOTE
In this warming and tasty breakfast bowl, the cacao nibs impart subtle chocolate notes that chime beautifully with the sweet and earthy flavour of the cornmeal. (Try to avoid buying instant or express cornmeal, as the flavour doesn’t compare to the coarse stuff.) The nibs also provide pleasing pops of bitterness and a little firm but chewy texture.
SERVES 2
FOR THE COMPOTE
½ tsp fennel seeds
2 ripe plums, stones [pits] removed and chopped
100g / 3½oz blackberries
2 Tbsp caster [superfine] sugar, or to taste
seeds from ½ vanilla pod [bean] or ½ tsp vanilla extract
squeeze of orange or lemon juice, plus extra if needed
2 Tbsp cacao nibs
FOR THE POLENTA
100ml / 3½fl oz whole milk
pinch of salt
1 Tbsp grated orange zest
300ml / 10fl oz water
75g / 2¾oz coarse white or yellow cornmeal
1 Tbsp runny honey, or more to taste
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
demerara [light brown] sugar, for sprinkling
Start with the compote. Lightly toast the fennel seeds in a dry frying pan until fragrant, then blitz to a powder in a spice or coffee grinder or crush with a mortar and pestle. Place all the compote ingredients, including the ground fennel seeds, in a pan set over a medium heat. Stir while the plums and blackberries release their juices. Reduce the heat to low, squash the fruit down with the back of a spoon and let the mixture bubble away until the fruit is very soft and falling apart. Add a splash of water or orange juice if the compote becomes too thick or dry. Taste and add more sugar, if you like. Keep the pan half-on, half-off a low heat to keep warm.
Now make the polenta. Place the milk, salt, orange zest and water in a pan and bring to the boil. Slowly pour the cornmeal into the liquid in a thin stream, whisking all the time, until the mixture thickens.
Reduce the heat to low and cook for 30–40 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so, until creamy and tender. Add more water as necessary to produce the consistency that you find lovely. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the honey and butter. Serve immediately with the compote spooned over the top and a sprinkling of demerara sugar.