Basil Polenta With Beans N Peppers Recipes

FRIED POLENTA WITH TOMATO BASIL SAUCE

Steps:

• Butter a 12 by 14-inch baking dish and set aside.
• In a large pot, bring the stock and milk to a boil. While whisking, slowly add the cornmeal and continue to whisk until thick, about 15 minutes. Stir in the red peppers and the blue cheese, if using. Pour the mixture into the baking dish and cool completely in refrigerator. When the polenta has cooled, cut into squares. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a saute pan. Place the polenta squares in the pan and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. In another saute pan, heat the remaining olive oil and add tomatoes and garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in the wine and butter and reduce until sauce has thickened and then add the basil and thyme. Transfer the polenta to a platter and pour the tomato sauce over the squares.

POLENTA STACK WITH NAVY BEAN SALAD

Steps:

• Heat grill. Fold four 18-inch-long pieces of foil in half; unfold and coat inside with cooking spray. Combine beans, tomatoes, chopped basil and 5 ounces feta in a bowl. Place 1/4 of bean mixture in center of 1 half of each piece of foil. Working 1 packet at a time, place 4 slices polenta in an overlapping circle over beans. Top with 1/4 of zucchini slices, 1/4 of red peppers and 1/4 of remaining 5 ounces feta. Fold foil to close and crimp edges to seal packets; place on grill; close lid; cook until packets are fully puffed, 10 minutes. Carefully cut foil to open and garnish with basil leaves. Serve.

SOFT POLENTA WITH ROASTED RED PEPPERS

Steps:

• In a large heavy saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and saute, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more, until its aroma is released.
• Add the chicken stock, water, and salt to the pan and increase the heat to medium high. When the liquid is simmering, gradually sprinkle the polenta over in a very slow, thin stream, whisking constantly in the same direction until all the grains are incorporated and no lumps remain. Reduce the heat to very low. Switch to a wooden paddle and stir thoroughly every few minutes for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan and the grains of polenta have softened. Stir in the butter, thyme, pepper, and grated Manchego and remove from the heat. Spoon some polenta into each of 6 warmed shallow soup bowls and top with some of the roasted peppers and chopped cilantro.

BASIL POLENTA WITH RATATOUILLE

Steps:

• In a large heavy saucepan, bring water and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a boil. Reduce heat to a gentle boil; slowly whisk in cornmeal. Cook and stir with a wooden spoon until polenta is thickened and pulls away cleanly from the sides of the pan, 15-20 minutes. Stir in basil., Spread into an 8-in. square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Refrigerate for 30 minutes., Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute the eggplant, onion and green pepper in 2 tablespoons oil until crisp-tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the tomatoes, olives, oregano, pepper and remaining salt. Cook and stir over medium heat until vegetables are tender, 10-12 minutes., Cut polenta into 4 squares. In another large skillet, cook polenta in remaining oil in batches until golden brown, 7-8 minutes on each side. Serve with ratatouille; garnish with basil.

POLENTA WITH WHITE-BEAN AND ROASTED-PEPPER RAGOUT

Steps:

• Bring broth and 2 cups water to a simmer in a saucepan over medium-high heat; season with salt. Slowly add polenta, whisking constantly. Simmer, stirring frequently and reducing heat as needed, until thick and creamy, 20 to 25 minutes for regular, or about 5 minutes for quick-cooking. Remove from heat; cover.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat; swirl in oil. Add garlic, celery, and pepper flakes; cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in roasted peppers and beans; season with salt and pepper. Cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup water and bring to a simmer; cook, mashing some of beans to create a creamy sauce, until thickened slightly, about 2 minutes. Serve over polenta, drizzled with oil and sprinkled with celery leaves.

BLACK BEANS AND POLENTA

Steps:

• Add the oil to a saucepan and let get heated over medium heat.
• Add in onion; increase heat to high and stir/saute onion for 3 minutes or until tender.
• Add in the wine, garlic, and oregano; stir and cook for 1 minute.
• Drain one can of beans and add to saucepan; add in the other can of beans undrained; stir to combine.
• Cover pan and lower heat to medium; let cook while you are making the polenta; uncover and stir occasionally and season to taste with salt/pepper if needed.
• Add the vegetable broth and rosemary to a soup pot; cover and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Uncover and lower heat to medium.
• While whisking constantly, slowly and gradually add the cornmeal to the boiling broth.
• Continue whisking for 2-3 minuutes or until the mixture is a porridgelike consistency.
• Take polenta off burner and add in the cheese and margarine; stir to combine; season with salt and pepper if needed.
• Spoon polenta into individiual serving bowls; top with beans.
• Serve warm.

GRILLED POLENTA BITES WITH BLACK BEAN SALSA

Steps:

• Combine black beans, tomato, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, and 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Stir to combine. Set aside.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Lay polenta rounds on a clean work surface and brush the tops with olive oil. Flip the rounds over and brush the other side with olive oil. Lightly season one side.
• Grill polenta rounds for 5 minutes. Using a spatula, flip them over and grill for 5 minutes longer. Top with black bean salsa just before serving.

SAUSAGE AND BEANS OVER POLENTA

Steps:

• Heat oil in saucepan over med-high heat.
• Saute sausage and onion and break up with wooden spoon while cooking about ten minutes.
• Stir in remaining ingredients and cook for about ten minutes on low heat with lid off.
• Spoon over polenta into dishes and top with basil.
• For the polenta:.
• Heat milk and water over med high heat and at the same time pour in the cornmeal and stir with wooden spoon continuously.
• When it begins to bubble lower heat to low and cook and stir for about 15 or 20 minutes or until creamy. Take off heat and add butter and cheese.

POLENTA WITH PEPPERS

Steps:

• Whisk together oil, vinegars and salt and pepper. Add peppers and shallot. Set aside to marinate.
• Cook polenta according to package directions and stir in the cream and butter at the end. Season with salt and pepper. Immediately pour onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and spread evenly. Set aside to set and cool.
• Cut rounds of polenta with a cookie cutter. Top with peppers and a basil leaf.

HERB POLENTA WITH RED BELL PEPPER SAUCE

Steps:

• Line an 8-by-8-inch pan with plastic wrap, and set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine olive oil, milk and 1 clove chopped garlic. Place over high heat to bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Whisk in Cream of Wheat until well blended. Return to high heat, and whisk until thickened but still pourable. Remove from heat, and whisk in eggs. Return to heat, and stir in 1/4 cup cheese, the spinach, basil, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir the mixture until thickened and no longer pourable.
• Immediately spoon mixture into plastic-lined pan, smoothing with a piece of plastic wrap to make a flat, even surface. Cover and refrigerate until chilled and solid, 2 to 24 hours.
• While polenta is chilling, prepare red bell pepper sauce. Preheat a broiler. Place red bell pepper under broiler, turning occasionally until blackened on all sides. Allow to cool. Peel and seed pepper, cut into pieces and place in a blender. Add anchovy, garlic and olive oil, and process until smooth. Add just enough chicken stock to make a thick but fluid sauce. Transfer mixture to a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Season with sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer, remove from heat and keep warm.
• Preheat a broiler. Remove polenta from plastic, and cut into 12 rectangles. Place on an oiled baking sheet and allow to return to room temperature. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons cheese. Broil until polenta is heated and cheese is lightly browned. Place 2 pieces of polenta on each of 6 plates, and top with a portion of sauce. Garnish with oregano sprigs, and serve immediately.

SEA BASS WITH POLENTA AND ROASTED RED BELL PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Toss peppers, 2 tablespoons oil, garlic, and 3 teaspoons thyme in 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Roast until peppers are tender and brown in spots, turning occasionally, about 1 hour. Cut peppers into 1/2-inch strips and return to pan. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.) Bring milk, water, bay leaf, and 1 teaspoon thyme to simmer in heavy large saucepan. Cover and remove from heat. Let steep 15 minutes.
• Gradually whisk polenta into milk mixture. Bring to simmer over medium-low heat, whisking constantly. Continue cooking until thick and creamy, stirring often, about 20 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Mix in cream. Season with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, preheat broiler. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Add to skillet; cook until opaque in center, about 4 minutes per side. Remove from heat. Spread 1 tablespoon tapenade over each fillet. Broil red peppers in pan until heated through, about 2 minutes.
• Spoon polenta onto 6 plates. Top with fish and red peppers.

CATALAN SAUTEED POLENTA AND BUTTER BEANS

Steps:

• Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add polenta and cook in a single layer, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to plate.
• Reduce the heat to medium, add the remaining 2 tsps oil and garlic to the pan, and cook stirring until fragrant, 30 seconds.
• Add onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring, until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Sprinkle with paprika, cook, stirring for 30 seconds.
• Stir in beans, spinach, and broth, cook, stirring, until the beans are heated through and the spinach is wilted, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove from heat; stir in cheese and vinegar.
• Serve vegetables over polenta.

BEANS AND SAUSAGE WITH POLENTA (LIDIA BASTIANICH)

Steps:

• Rinse beans and soak them in plenty of cold water for 8 hours or overnight.
• Drain and place the beans in a 4-quart saucepan with fresh cold water, covering them by an inch or more, along with the 4 bay leaves and 2 tablespoons oil.
• Bring to a boil, partially cover the pot, and adjust the heat to maintain a bubbling simmer.
• When the beans are almost tender, but still slightly undercooked, after about 40 minutes, remove from the heat; drain through a colander.
• Stir in the 1/2 teaspoon salt and let cool; discard the bay leaves.
• Add 4 tablespoons olive oil into the wide saucepan, scatter the bacon pieces into it, and set over med-high heat.
• Cook, stirring, until the bacon starts rendering fat, then drop in the sausages; let them sizzle and begin to brown.
• Add the chopped onion and the two bay leaves, and stir them around the pan bottom; meanwhile, keep rolling over the sausages so they color on all sides.
• Cook for several minutes to allow the onion and meat to caramelize, then clear a space on the pan bottom and drop in the tomato paste.
• Stir it in the clear spot for a minute, until sizzling, then spread the paste all around the pan, stirring and tumbling the sausages so they are coated.
• Pour the red wine vinegar into a clear space in the pan, let it sizzle and evaporate for a few minutes, then stir and tumble everything again.
• Pour 1 cup of hot water into the saucepan, increase the heat, and deglaze the caramelization as the water bubbles.
• Pour in the crushed tomatoes and stir well.
• Rinse the tomato containers with a second cup of water, and pour that in too.
• Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, stir everything together, and bring to a boil.
• Keep the tomato sauce bubbling gently for about 10 minutes, then spill the beans into the pan; stir in the beans while the sauce returns to a boil.
• Stir in the water, if needed, so the sauce is loose and nearly covers the sausages and beans.
• Cook at a gentle boil, stirring now and then, until the beans are tender and the sauce has nicely thickened, 10 minutes or more (add water if the beans need longer cooking; or, if the sauce seems too loose, reduce it quickly over high heat).
• Turn off the heat, and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.
• Cover the pan to keep the beans warm until the polenta is ready to serve.
• Assemble individual portions in warm wide pasta bowls; first dip a large spoon in water, and with it scoop up polenta and mound it in each bowl.
• Spoon over a generous helping of beans in sauce, and lay a sausage on top.
• Drizzle with olive oil, grind on more black pepper, and serve immediately.

PEPPER PARMESAN BEANS

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute the peppers, onion and garlic in oil until the vegetables are tender, about 3 minutes. Add the beans, basil and salt; toss to coat. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 7-8 minutes or until beans are crisp-tender. Stir in cheese; serve immediately.

POLENTA WITH ITALIAN PEPPERS AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Chop whole onion.
• Heat nonstick pan until it is very hot, reduce heat to medium-high, spray with pan spray and saute onion until it begins to brown and soften.
• Wash, trim and seed peppers, and using slicing blade of food processor, slice peppers. Add peppers to onions.
• Wash, trim and slice mushrooms in processor. After peppers begin to soften, add mushrooms.
• Wash and chop fresh thyme, and add to onion and pepper mixture.
• Bring chicken stock to boil in covered pot.
• Reduce heat, and carefully stir in polenta; cook, stirring often until mixture thickens. Season with salt.
• Grate cheese.
• When polenta is cooked, spoon onto plates; top with pepper and onion mixture, and sprinkle with cheese.