Golden Sweet Polenta With Blood Oranges Recipes

GOLDEN SWEET POLENTA WITH BLOOD ORANGES

Steps:

• Combine milk, 1/2 tablespoon butter, 1/4 cup honey, and cinnamon in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low. In a steady stream, slowly pour in the polenta, whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. After all the polenta has been incorporated, cook 5 minutes more. Stir in currants.
• Transfer mixture to an ungreased 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-by-2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Let polenta stand in pan until cool, about 40 minutes.
• Invert loaf pan, and remove polenta. Slice loaf into 12 bars.
• Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange polenta bars in skillet, working in batches, if necessary, and saute until golden on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
• Remove polenta from skillet, and arrange on serving plates.
• Return skillet to medium heat. Add remaining 1/4 cup honey and orange juice; bring to a boil. Add orange rounds and almonds; quickly toss together. To serve, pour honey sauce over polenta bars.

BLOOD ORANGE POLENTA UPSIDE DOWN-CAKE WITH WHIPPED CRèME FRAîCHE

Steps:

• For cake:
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Combine 6 tablespoons sugar and 3 tablespoons water in 10-inch-diameter ovenproof skillet with 8-inch-diameter bottom and 2 1/2-inch-high sides.Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup is golden amber (not dark amber), occasionally brushing down sides of skillet with wet pastry brush and swirling skillet, about 4 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and whisk 2 tablespoons butter into caramel. Set aside.
• Cut off both rounded ends of each orange so that ends are even and flat. Using sharp knife, cut oranges into 1/16- to 1/8-inch-thick rounds. Remove and discard any seeds. Arrange orange slices, overlapping slightly, in concentric circles atop caramel in bottom of skillet.
• Whisk flour, polenta, baking powder, and coarse kosher salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat 3/4 cup sugar, remaining 6 tablespoons room-temperature butter, and vanilla in another medium bowl until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with milk in 2 additions, beating batter just until incorporated.
• Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in large bowl until soft peaks form. Add remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and beat until stiff but not dry. Fold 1/3 of egg whites into batter to lighten, then fold in remaining egg whites in 2 additions. Drop batter by large spoonfuls atop orange slices in skillet, then spread evenly.
• Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool cake in skillet 10 minutes. Run small knife around cake to loosen. Place platter atop skillet. Using oven mitts, hold platter and skillet firmly together and invert, allowing cake to settle onto platter. Rearrange any orange slices that may have become dislodged. Cool cake completely at room temperature.
• For whipped crème fraîche:
• Using electric mixer, beat chilled crème fraîche and 2 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl until mixture thickens.
• Cut cake into wedges and serve with dollop of whipped crème fraîche.
• Available at most supermarkets and at specialty foods stores.

UPSIDE-DOWN BLOOD ORANGE-POLENTA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat pan with nonstick spray and place on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Cook brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter, and 2 Tbsp. water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved and mixture is smooth. Bring to a boil and cook, without stirring, 2 minutes (it should be slightly thickened). Pour caramel into prepared pan and let rest until set, about 5 minutes.
• Arrange orange slices in concentric circles in a single layer over caramel. (Start with larger slices around the outside, then use smaller ones as you work toward the center. Cut up leftover citrus to fill in the gaps.)
• Whisk flour, polenta, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Place granulated sugar and remaining 1/2 cup butter in a large bowl; scrape in vanilla seeds and save pod for another use. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend between additions; beat until mixture is very fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Reduce mixer speed to low. Add dry ingredients in 3 additions alternating with buttermilk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients; mix just until batter is smooth. Scrape batter into prepared pan (be careful not to disturb orange slices) and smooth surface with an offset spatula.
• Bake cake until golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 50-65 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cake cool 10 minutes. Run a knife around edges of cake to loosen, then unmold. Invert cake onto rack and carefully remove bottom of pan. Let cool completely.
• Finely grate lemon omani and cardamom pods over cake and whipped cream, if desired. Serve cake with whipped cream alongside.