Polenta Baked With Tomatoes Corn And Basil Recipes

BAKED POLENTA WITH FRESH TOMATOES AND PARMESAN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Grease an 8x8 inch baking dish.
• Place the water, milk, and butter in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the polenta and stir with a wooden spoon until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup Parmesan cheese and 2 chopped basil leaves; season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the polenta to the prepared baking dish and arrange the remaining chilled pieces of butter over the top.
• Bake the polenta in the preheated oven until bubbly and beginning to brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven.
• Decoratively arrange the slices of tomato over the top of the polenta, spread the remaining basil leaves over the tomatoes, and sprinkle with 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.
• Return to the oven and bake until the tomatoes are warm and the Parmesan cheese is bubbly, 5 to 10 minutes.

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.

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.

POLENTA WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES, GARLIC, CORN AND ONIONS

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan, bring the stock to a boil over high heat.
• Meanwhile, in a small nonstick sauté pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and sage and cook, stirring, until the garlic softens, 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape the contents of the sauté pan into the boiling stock.
• Add the corn kernels and sun-dried tomatoes and reduce the heat to medium, so that the liquid just simmers.
• Handful by handful, add the cornmeal to the water in a steady rain, whisking constantly, until fully incorporated with no lumps. Cook, whisking constantly, until thick and bubbly, about 5 to 7 minutes.
• Remove from the heat.
• Coat a 5 x 9-inch (12.5 x 23-cm) loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Pour the polenta into the pan, smooth the surface, and spray it lightly with the vegetable oil spray.
• Cover with plastic wrap and let cool.
• Caramelized onions:.
• In a nonstick sauté pan, heat the oil over high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring constantly, until deep golden brown, caramelized and soft, about 15 minutes. Adjust the heat if needed so the onions don't burn.
• Stir in the maple syrup or brown sugar, vinegar, basil, and vegetable stock and reduce the heat. Keep warm at the back of the stove until ready to use.
• Tomato Concasse:.
• In a sauté pan, heat the oil over high heat. Add the garlic and cook for a few seconds.
• Quickly stir in the tomatoes. Cook, stirring, just until the tomatoes are heated through. Add the salt, pepper, and basil.
• Cover and keep warm until ready to use.
• To Assemble:.
• Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Heat a charcoal or gas grill to medium. Lightly coat a baking sheet and the grill with nonstick cooking spray.
• Invert the polenta onto a work surface and cut into 8 triangles or squares.
• Grill the polenta on both sides only until well marked, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
• Transfer to the prepared baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 4 to 5 minutes in the oven, until heated through.
• Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the feta cheese, if desired.
• To serve, ladle the tomato concasse in the centre of each warmed plate. Place 2 squares of polenta on the tomato concasse and top with the caramelized onions, and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

POLENTA WITH CORN, TOMATO AND RED ONION SAUCE

Steps:

• Chop whole red onion.
• Heat medium large nonstick pan until it is very hot. Reduce heat to medium high; add oil, and saute onion until it begins to soften, a couple of minutes.
• Wash, trim and cut tomatoes in half, squeezing them with your hands to remove excess juice and seeds. Chop the tomatoes, add to the onion and continue to cook over medium heat for a few minutes.
• Meanwhile, scrape the corn off the cobs.
• Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a medium covered pot.
• Wash, dry and chop basil.
• Stir the corn and basil into the tomato mixture, and season with salt and pepper.
• Reduce the heat under the chicken stock to medium; slowly stir the polenta into the stock, and cook over low heat a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thick but still runny.
• Grate the cheese.
• Spoon the polenta onto dinner plates, top with the sauce and sprinkle with cheese.

EASY POLENTA WITH TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch square baking dish.
• In a large pot, combine the milk and chicken stock. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When it is at a rolling boil, gradually whisk in the cornmeal, making sure there are no lumps. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring constantly until thick, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese.
• Pour the polenta into the prepared baking dish, and spread spaghetti sauce over the top.
• Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until sauce is bubbling.

BAKED POLENTA WITH A TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350°F or 180°C.
• Pour 3 cups of cold water into a saucepan and turn the heat up to high.
• Add 1 cup polenta/ cornmeal gradually, stirring until it is all mixed in.
• Stir in the paprika and nutmeg.
• Heat until boiling, then simmer for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. NB: The polenta may spit if not stirred so be careful!
• When the polenta has thickened at the end of the 2 minutes, remove from the heat. Line a loaf pan with cling film/ saran wrap and pour the polenta in
• Allow to cool, then refrigerate for 2 hours until solid.
• Heat the olive oil in a non-stick skillet and cook the onion and garlic, stirring, for 3 minutes until soft.
• Add the chopped tomatoes and fresh basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste then simmer for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, turn the polenta onto a chopping board and remove the cling film. Cut it into about 18 squares. Slices can also be used if they fit your baking tray better.
• Pour a third of the tomato sauce into a baking tray, top with half the polenta squares. Repeat the layers ending with sauce (alternatively I use a large shallow baking tray so I use a single layer of polenta squares with tomato sauce underneath and poured over the top).
• Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
• Remove from the oven, sprinkle the cheese over the top and return to the oven for 5 minutes until the cheese has melted.

GRILLED POLENTA WITH TOMATO-CORN SALAD

Steps:

• Prepare a grill or grill pan for medium-high heat. Clean and oil the grill grates.
• Wrap each ear of corn in damp paper towels and microwave the wrapped corn on high for 5 minutes. Carefully remove the paper towels and let the corn cool slightly.
• Brush the corn with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until lightly charred in spots, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, cut the polenta crosswise into 10 or 12 rounds. Brush the rounds on both sides with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over medium-high heat, turning once or twice, until nicely marked and slightly softened, about 6 minutes total.
• Whisk the 1/4 cup oil with the vinegar and garlic in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Invert a small bowl and place it in a large bowl. Hold one ear of corn vertically on the smaller bowl and, using a knife, cut the kernels off the cob. Repeat with the remaining ears of corn. Remove the small bowl.
• Add the tomatoes and dressing to the corn; toss well. Fold in the basil and arugula, then season the salad with salt and pepper. Serve the salad with the grilled polenta, topped with jalapeño slices if desired.

CORN SALAD WITH TOMATOES, BASIL AND CILANTRO

Steps:

• Microwave the corn in their husks on high for 3 minutes. Shuck the corn - the silks will come off easily. (If you want to boil or steam the corn on the stovetop, you can shuck the corn first then cook just until brighter in color, 2 to 3 minutes.) Cut the kernels off the cobs, transfer them to a large bowl and add the tomatoes.
• Finely grate the zest of the lime directly over the corn mixture, then squeeze the juice from the lime all over. Add the oil, a generous pinch of salt and the chile, if using. Mix well, then tear the herbs over the salad and gently fold them in. Season to taste with salt and serve, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 day.

SKILLET POLENTA WITH TOMATOES AND GORGONZOLA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Brush 12-inch-diameter ovenproof skillet with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
• Combine 4 cups water, yellow cornmeal, and salt in heavy large saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until polenta is very thick and pulls away from sides of pan, whisking constantly, about 3 minutes. Whisk in remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/4 cup basil. Transfer polenta to prepared skillet; flatten polenta to even thickness.
• Sprinkle polenta with tomatoes and garlic. Sprinkle evenly with Gorgonzola, mozzarella, and remaining 1/4 cup basil. Bake until cheese is melted and bubbling, about 16 minutes. Cut polenta into wedges and serve from skillet.