Polenta Fries With Roasted Red Pepper Ketchup Recipe Epicuriouscom

POLENTA AND VEGETABLES WITH ROASTED RED PEPPER SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a medium-sized heavy saucepan. Add polenta in a stream, whisking to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, until thick, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk in 1/3 cup Parmesan and season with cayenne and salt. Coat a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray. Transfer polenta to pie plate, smooth into an even layer and let cool 15 minutes. Heat broiler. Whisk garlic, thyme, lemon juice and oil in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Toss vegetables with dressing. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray and arrange vegetables in 1 layer (or in 1 layer in a grill basket). Broil vegetables about 4 inches from heat until tender and slightly charred, 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Transfer to a platter. Combine all sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Sprinkle polenta with remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan. Broil polenta in pie plate until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes, then cut polenta into 8 triangles. Divide polenta among 4 plates. Top with vegetables, drizzle with sauce and sprinkle with chives. Serve any remaining sauce on the side.

POLENTA FRIES WITH ROASTED RED PEPPER KETCHUP

Steps:

• Prepare the Polenta Fries: Cook according to the package directions "Basic" polenta less 1/2 cup water. While the polenta is cooking, add the oil, salt, and pepper.
• When almost done, stir in the cheese. Immediately after it is done, pour into a 13 x 9-inch baking pan that has been lightly coated with olive oil and smooth the top with a spatula that has been dipped in olive oil. The polenta should be about 1/2 inch thick). Cover the top with plastic wrap, pressing it on the top of the polenta. Refrigerate for a couple of hours, or until very firm. (Can be made a day ahead.)
• Turn the polenta onto a cutting board, cut in half laterally, then cut each half into 1/2 inch "fries".
• Heat about 1/2 inch of oil in a skillet or frying pan to 375° F. Add the fries, in batches, cook until browned, then turn to evenly brown each side. Remove to a wire rack to drain. Keep fries warm in a 300°F oven until all the fries have been made, adding additional oil as needed. Serve with warm Roasted Red Pepper Ketchup.
• Prepare the Roasted Red Pepper "Ketchup": Place all the ingredients into a blender, blend until smooth.
• Pour blended sauce into a heavy saucepan, bring to a simmer; simmer about 30 - 45 minutes, or until very thick. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.

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.

POLENTA FRIES WITH ROASTED RED PEPPER KETCHUP

Steps:

• Lightly oil 13 x 9-inch metal baking pan. Bring milk, 1 cup water and butter to boil in heavy large saucepan. Gradually whisk in cornmeal. Reduce heat to low and cook until polenta is very thick and starts to pull away from sides of pan, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese, basil and thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Immediately transfer polenta to prepared baking pan, spreading evenly to cover. Refrigerate until cool and firm, about 1 hour. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)
• Cut polenta lengthwise in pan into three 3-inch-wide rectangles. Cut each rectangle crosswise into 3/4-inch-wide strips. Set polenta strips aside.
• Preheat oven to 300°F. Heat 1/2 cup oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Place flour in pie plate. Lightly coat polenta strips with flour; shake off excess. Working in batches, fry polenta strips until golden brown on all sides, adding more oil if necessary, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer fries to paper towels and drain. Place fries on baking sheet and keep warm in oven while cooking remaining batches. Transfer fries to large platter and serve with Roasted Red Pepper Ketchup.

POLENTA SHAPES WITH ROASTED RED BELL PEPPER SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large pot over medium-high heat, bring stock to a boil.
• Slowly pour in polenta, stirring with a whisk as you add it. After all polenta is added it will take about 2 minutes for it to begin to thicken. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking and stirring occasionally for approximately 40 minutes, or until polenta is smooth, and no longer gritty on the tongue. Just before finishing, stir in Parmigiano-Reggiano and thyme.
• In a 9 by 12-inch baking dish, add 1 tablespoon water. Transfer polenta to baking dish and spread until it is of uniform thickness. Refrigerate for 1 hour, or until it solidifies.
• To make roasted red bell pepper sauce, roast the red and poblano peppers whole over a gas flame, a charcoal flame or under a broiler, turning 1/4 rotation every few minutes, until entirely blackened. Immediately place in a paper bag, seal, and let sit for 3 minutes. Peel off the charred skin and discard. Slice the peeled peppers open and discard the membranes and seeds
• In a saute pan over medium heat, heat the butter and add the shallots. Cook for about 6 minutes, stirring frequently, or until the shallots just begin to show signs of browning.
• Add the stock, 2 roasted bell peppers, poblano chili, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes. (Adjust heat as required to simmer.)
• Remove from heat and let cool. In a food processor or blender, add pan contents along with the remaining red peppers, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth. Reserve.
• Use a cookie cutter or a pairing knife to cut out desired polenta shapes. In a saute pan over medium high heat, add oil and saute polenta shapes for approximately 5 minutes per side, or until a golden brown crispy crust has formed on each side.
• Just before serving, re-heat sauce in a saucepan and stir in cream. Ladle 2/3 cup of roasted red bell pepper sauce into a shallow bowl. Top with one piece of polenta. Serve immediately.
• Recommended beverage: Italian Chianti (red)

ROASTED RED PEPPER POLENTA

Steps:

• To fire-roast the red peppers, place them over a high flame on a stove-top burner and roast, turning occasionally, until the skins turn black on all sides. Place the peppers in a medium bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to steam for 10 minutes. Peel away the blackened skins from the peppers. Cut away the stems and then seed, core and coarsely chop the peppers. Place them in a food processor and puree until smooth; reserve to the side.
• In a heavy-bottom medium pot, bring 8 cups water, thesalt and the roasted red pepper puree to a boil. Add the stone-ground cornmeal in a gentle stream, whisking or stirring vigorously in the same direction as you pour it in. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring continuously for 2 to 3 minutes. Cook the polenta for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring every few minutes and scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent it from sticking. When the polenta is thick, glossy and pulling away from the side of the pan, add the Pecorino Romano and butter, stirring quickly to incorporate. Pour the polenta into a medium serving dish and serve immediately.

ROASTED RED PEPPER KETCHUP

Steps:

• Combine tomatoes with juices and all remaining ingredients in heavy large saucepan over high heat. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until reduced to about 3 cups, about 30 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Working in batches, purée ketchup in blender until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Cool slightly, then chill until cold. (Ketchup can be prepared 1 week ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)

CHICKEN, POLENTA, AND RED PEPPER RAGOûT

Steps:

• Halve leek lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. In a bowl of cold water wash leek well and with a slotted spoon transfer to a sieve to drain. Chop onion and cut bell pepper into 1-inch pieces. Mince garlic.
• In a 12-inch non-stick skillet cook leek, onion, bell pepper, and garlic in 1 tablespoon oil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and pepper is tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer vegetables to a bowl. Pat chicken dry and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick strips. Season chicken with salt and pepper and cut polenta into 3/4-inch cubes.
• In skillet heat remaining tablespoon oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté chicken, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Add polenta and cook, stirring occasionally, 1 minute.
• Stir in cooked vegetables, tomatoes, thyme, and parsley and simmer, stirring, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season ragout with salt and pepper.

POLENTA FRIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Cut each unwrapped tube of polenta in half crosswise, then remove wrapper and cut each half lengthwise into 8 wedges.
• Drizzle oil on a large rimmed baking sheet. Place polenta wedges on baking sheet; season with salt and pepper, and turn gently to coat with oil. Arrange in a single layer.
• Roast, turning wedges halfway through with a metal spatula, until golden and crisp, 45 to 50 minutes. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Transfer to a shallow dish; toss with oregano, and serve.