Make Ahead Polenta With Green Onions And Ricotta Recipes

MAKE-AHEAD POLENTA WITH GREEN ONIONS AND RICOTTA

Steps:

• Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) broiler-proof baking dish with cooking spray. (Do not use a glass baking dish if you want to broil the ricotta topping; glass baking dishes can break under the broiler.)
• In 4-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add green onions; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add milk, water and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt; heat to boiling, stirring occasionally.
• Still over medium heat, slowly add cornmeal, stirring constantly with whisk until mixture thickens, 5 to 10 minutes. (If mixture starts to bubble and spatter, reduce heat to medium-low.) Remove from heat. Stir in pepper, Parmesan cheese and half of the chives. If desired, taste and adjust seasonings.
• Pour into baking dish; spread evenly. Cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Cover loosely with foil; refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.
• For ricotta topping, in medium bowl, stir together ricotta cheese, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, remaining half of the chives and the eggs. Cover; refrigerate until ready to use. (This can also be made a day ahead or the day of.)
• Heat oven to 400°F. Spread ricotta topping evenly over top of polenta.
• Bake about 40 minutes or until thoroughly heated. (If using a broiler-proof dish and you'd like to brown the top, you can set it under the broiler for a few minutes.) Cool slightly before serving.

CHEESY POLENTA CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly oil a 8x8-inch casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.
• Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in green pepper, garlic, and green onions; cook until the pepper softens, about 3 minutes. Pour in marinara sauce and simmer 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Mix together fontina and provolone in a bowl. Spread a thin layer of sauce over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange 1/3 of the polenta slices in the dish, top with 1/3 the fontina and provolone mixture. Spread a thin layer of sauce over cheese. Repeat layers twice. Top casserole with Parmesan cheese.
• Bake in preheated oven until cheese is bubbly and golden brown, about 25 minutes.

POLENTA WITH PEPPER-ONION SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oil in skillet large enough to hold all the vegetables and saute onions over medium heat until soft and brown.
• Add peppers and cook until they begin to soften. Stir in tomatoes, wine and pepper. (Break up canned tomatoes with fingers as they are added). Cover and cook over medium-low heat until peppers are soft and mixture is medium thick.
• Meanwhile, cook the polenta according to package directions and season with salt, if desired. To serve, spoon polenta onto dinner plates and top with sauce.

POLENTA ROUNDS WITH CARAMELIZED VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place polenta rounds on parchment-lined cookie sheet. Brush each with salad dressing. Set aside.
• Melt butter in small skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell peppers, brown sugar, oregano and salt. Cook about 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Top each polenta round with rounded 1/2 teaspoon vegetable mixture.
• Bake at 400°F. for 10 to 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Immediately sprinkle each with Cheddar cheese. Remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm.

CREAMY POLENTA WITH GREEN ONIONS AND PARSLEY

Steps:

• Bring 1 quart stock, 5 cups water and 2 teaspoons salt to boil in heavy 8-quart saucepan.
• Whisk in cornmeal in thin stream,adjusting heat to maintain slow bubbles.
• Stir polenta constantly with wooden spoon until sheets fall from lifted spoon, adding more stock if necessary to maintain creamy consistancy, about 30 minutes.
• (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Cover surface with plastic and let stand at room temperature. Rewarm over low heat, stirring constantly. Thin with stock if necessary.).
• Stir in green onion, butter,parsley, and pepper.
• Taste and adjust seasoning.
• Serve immediately.

BAKED POLENTA WITH RICOTTA AND PARMESAN

Steps:

• Soak polenta in cold water for 1 hour. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Drain polenta, then place in a heavy-bottomed pot or ovenproof baking dish. Add salt and 4 cups water.
• Place pot in oven, cover, and bake for 45 minutes. (The polenta will begin to simmer and absorb water after a few minutes. No need to stir.)
• After 45 minutes, uncover and stir in the olive oil, ricotta and Parmesan, but don't overmix. Some of the ricotta should remain in big blobs. The mixture may be a bit soupy at this point, but will thicken as it continues to cook. Bake, uncovered, for another 15 minutes, until top has browned. Finish with a generous amount of pepper.

CREAMY BAKED POLENTA WITH HERBS AND GREEN ONIONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour 6 cups water into 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Whisk polenta, salt, and pepper into water. Bake uncovered 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in small skillet over medium heat. Add green onions and sauté 2 minutes. Stir in parsley and thyme, then cream. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
• Stir polenta to blend. Stir green onion mixture, cheese, and lemon peel into polenta. Continue to bake uncovered until polenta is creamy and liquid is completely absorbed, about 10 minutes longer. Let stand 5 minutes; serve.

POLENTA WITH GREEN CHILES AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees; Butter an 8x8x2-inch baking dish.
• Mix milk, Water, cornmeal, garlic, and salt in a heavy saucepan, bring to simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly; cook until polenta is thickened, stirring often, 12 to 15 minutes, add salt and pepper to taste; stir in Parmesan cheese.
• Pour half of polenta into prepared dish; cover with half of the chilies and half of corn, sprinkle with half of the cilantro and 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese; drizzle with 1/4 cup of cream.
• REPEAT; Spoon remaining polenta over and cover with remaining chilies, corn, cilantro and cheese, pour the other 1/4 cup cream over top.
• Bake until polenta puffs and cheese begins to brown, about 25 minutes; cut into squares and serve.

CRUNCHY CHEESY OVEN-BAKED POLENTA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 17x12-inch half-sheet pan with cooking spray.
• In 1 1/2-quart saucepan, cook oil, butter and garlic over medium-high heat 2 to 3 minutes or until garlic is transparent (do not let garlic burn). Add whipping cream; heat to a slight simmer. Stir in Gorgonzola cheese until melted. Stir in pecorino-Romano cheese. Remove from heat.
• Cut polenta into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange slices in pan. Ladle cheese sauce evenly over polenta; sprinkle with pepper. Sprinkle bread crumbs evenly over top.
• Bake uncovered about 15 minutes.
• Set oven control to broil. Broil 2 to 3 minutes or until top is golden brown. Garnish with basil. Serve warm.

CREAMY BAKED POLENTA WITH HERBS AND GREEN ONIONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350. Pour 6 cups water into sprayed 13x9 glass baking dish. Whisk polenta, salt and pepper into water. Bake uncovered about 30 minutes. Could be a little more or less. Make sure it doesn't get hard.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in small skillet over medium heat. Add green onions and garlic, saute 2 minutes. Stir in parsley, thyme and cream. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
• Stir polenta to blend. Stir green onion mixture, cheese and lemon peel into polenta. If liquid isn't completely absorbed, bake a little longer.

CREAMY POLENTA WITH MIXED GREENS

Steps:

• Combine tomatoes and boiling water.
• Let stand 30 minutes, drain and chop.
• Combine cornmeal and pinch of black pepper in saucepan.
• Gradually add 3 cups broth and 1 cup water, stirring continually with a whisk.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook for 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Remove polenta from heat and keep warm.
• Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and saute onion and red pepper for about 10 minutes or until tender.
• Add tomatoes and garlic, cooking for 1 more minute.
• Add 1 cup broth and the greens.
• Cover and reduce heat to low, cooking 15 minutes or until greens are completely tender.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Spoon polenta into 4 plates and top with greens.
• Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
• Since I like things spicy, I add some crushed red pepper to this recipe, or just shake on your favorite hot sauce.
• For Vegetarian use the vegetable broth only.

BAKED POLENTA WITH PEPERONATA SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°. Spray 2-quart casserole or 8 x 8-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• In 3-quart saucepan, heat oil in over medium heat. Add onions and garlic; cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are crisp-tender. Stir in Peperonata Sauce remaining ingredients. Simmer uncovered about 8 minutes or until slightly thickened.
• Cut polenta into twelve 1/2-inch slices. Arrange 6 slices polenta on bottom of casserole. Spread half of the sauce over polenta. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the cheese. Repeat with remaining polenta, sauce and cheese.
• Bake uncovered 35 to 40 minutes or until heated through and cheese is light brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

BAKED POLENTA WITH TOMATO SAUCE AND RICOTTA

Steps:

• To prepare the tomato sauce:
• Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the tomatoes, yellow onion, and garlic in a baking pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until the garlic is soft and the skin is peeling away from the tomatoes. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. Remove the skin from the tomatoes and put in a saucepan. Squeeze the garlic out of the bulb and into the tomatoes. Remove the skin from the onion. Coarsely chop the onion and add to the tomatoes.
• Add the olive oil to the tomatoes and puree with a handheld immersion blender until smooth. You may need to add up to 1/3 cup water if there is not enough liquid. Season with salt. Warm the tomato sauce just prior to use.
• To prepare the polenta:
• Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups of water to a simmer and stream in the polenta. Whisk together until there are no lumps. Cover with a lid and continue to cook over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes. Be careful when you go to stir the polenta-it tends to spit out pieces of the cornmeal, which is very hot. Remove the polenta from the heat and stir in the olive oil and basil. Drop in teaspoon-size pieces of the ricotta cheese. Pour the polenta into an 8-inch square baking pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and let sit for 1 hour or until the polenta has firmed up. Bake the polenta in the oven for 15 minutes or until heated through. Cut the polenta into 8 equal pieces.
• To serve:
• Place 1/2 cup warm tomato sauce in 4 shallow bowls and top with two pieces of the polenta. Sprinkle with the chopped basil.