Polenta Toasts With Goat Cheese And Fresh Thyme Recipes

POLENTA HALF-MOONS WITH WHIPPED GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook's Note: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange the pine nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake until lightly toasted, 6-8 minutes. Cool completely before using.
• For the polenta: Preheat the broiler. Bring 3 cups water and the salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the polenta and continue to stir until the polenta is thick, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer the polenta to a sheet of parchment paper. Roll the polenta into a 2 1/2-diameter log. Refrigerate until cool, 30 minutes.
• Spray a heavy baking sheet with vegetable oil cooking spray. Slice the polenta into 1/8-inch-thick slices. Cut each slice of polenta in half to make half-moon shapes and arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with the olive oil and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Broil until the cheese is golden, 6 to 7 minutes. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
• For the goat cheese: Beat the goat cheese, cream, basil, salt and pepper in a medium bowl using an electric hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 1 minute. Stir in the pine nuts.
• Using two spoons to measure, place 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon-size dollops of the goat cheese mixture on top of the polenta slices and serve.

POLENTA TOASTS WITH GOAT CHEESE AND FRESH THYME

Steps:

• Lightly oil 2 baking sheets. Combine 6 cups water and salt in heavy large saucepan. Bring to boil. Gradually add cornmeal, whisking until smooth. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until polenta is thick and creamy, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Cool 5 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spoon warm polenta out onto wet work surface. Roll out polenta with wet rolling pin to 1/3-inch thickness. Cool completely. Using wet 1 3/4- to- 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out polenta rounds. Discard polenta scraps. Transfer rounds to baking sheets.
• Lightly brush polenta with oil. Bake polenta 15 minutes. Turn polenta rounds over. Lightly brush with oil and bake until polenta is slightly puffed and pale golden, about 10 minutes longer.
• Spoon goat cheese into pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Transfer polenta rounds to platter. Pipe 1 small rosette in center of each polenta round. Sprinkle with thyme and serve.

GOAT CHEESE TOASTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Arrange the bread slices on 2 heavy large baking sheets. Brush olive oil over the bread slices. Bake until the crostini are pale golden and crisp, about 15 minutes.
• Blend the goat cheese and cream cheese in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Add the parsley, thyme, and lemon peel. Using the on/off button, pulse just to blend. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Spread the cheese mixture over the crostini. Sprinkle with the olives, chives, and more pepper. Arrange the toasts on a platter and serve.
• Do-Ahead Tip: The crostini and cheese mixture can each be prepared 2 days ahead. Store the crostini in an airtight container at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate the cheese mixture. Let the cheese mixture stand at room temperature for 1 hour to soften slightly before spreading over the crostini.

CREAMY POLENTA WITH GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Bring 1 quart of water to a boil in a medium-size saucepan. Add salt and slowly add polenta, in a thin stream, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Continue whisking until thick and creamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cheeses and butter. Serve immediately.

CREAMY POLENTA WITH THYME

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine 7 cups water, 2 teaspoons coarse salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; bring to a boil over high heat. Whisking constantly, gradually add cornmeal. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer polenta, whisking frequently, until thickened and creamy, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Remove from heat. Stir in butter and thyme and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with thyme, and serve. If polenta thickens upon standing, stir in a little hot water.

GOAT CHEESE POLENTA

Steps:

• Combine the grits, chicken broth and garlic in a large saucepan with a tight fitting lid.
• Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently.
• Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the goat cheese and sun dried tomatoes.
• Continue stirring until the cheese has melted and all ingredients are well mixed.
• Grease a 9X13 inch cooking pan and spoon the mixture into the dish and press with wet hands to spread evenly.
• Can be served room temperature or chilled.
• For entree size serving, cut into 6 pieces.
• For an appetizer, cut into smaller squares.

PAN-FRIED POLENTA WITH CORN, KALE AND GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir constantly for 1 minute; don't let the garlic brown. Add 3 cups of the water, and bring it to a boil.
• While the water heats, whisk together in a bowl the cornmeal, salt, and 1 cup water to make a smooth mixture.
• When the water in the saucepan comes to a boil, pour the mixture into it. Whisk constantly for 3 minutes to prevent lumps from forming. Turn the heat to low. Cook for 40 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon every 10 minutes. Stir in the corn kernels and cook the polenta 5 minutes more. Stir in the pepper and Parmesan cheese. Pour the polenta into a lightly oiled 8x8 inch pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Chill the polenta in a refrigerator for 1 hour.
• While the polenta is cooling, cut away the stems and center stalks of the kale. Cut the leaves into 3-inch pieces.
• Cut the chilled polenta into 4 large triangles. Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil begins to smoke, carefully add the polenta triangles. Fry the polenta until it is golden brown on the underside, then turn the polenta over and cook it until it is golden brown on the other side. Arrange the polenta on a baking sheet.
• Preheat the broiler on your oven.
• Place the kale and 1/3 cup water into the skillet that was just used to fry the polenta. Cover the skillet and cook the kale over a medium-high heat for 4 minutes.
• Place the tomato slices on top of the polenta triangles. Sprinkle the goat cheese on top of the tomato slices. Broil the polenta until the cheese melts and the tomatoes begin to cook.
• Arrange the kale on a serving platter. Place the hot polenta triangles on top of the kale and serve immediately.

POLENTA WITH GOAT CHEESE AND ROSEMARY

Steps:

• Bring the stock to a boil in a large, heavy saucepan over high heat. Whisk in the polenta in a steady stream, then decrease the heat to medium. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, more constantly than you would think possible, until the polenta begins to thicken, approximately 10 minutes. (Keep stirring; otherwise the polenta will boil up and may splatter on your hand.)
• Add the cheese and rosemary and stir for approximately 2 minutes. Stir in the butter, season with salt and pepper to taste and serve. It keeps well on the stove, though it thickens as it rests. If cooking before the chops are done, which is a smart idea, either remove from the heat at a thinner consistency or add a little more stock later.

POLENTA WITH ROASTED TOMATOES AND GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375. Grease a large baking sheet with a little of the olive oil.
• Place tomatoes in pan cut side down and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until they start to char and shrivel (no need to turn over), 40-50min. Let cool on the pan a bit.
• For the Polenta: Boil the milk and water together.
• Whisk in the cornmeal and salt. Turn down the heat and stir constantly until the polenta is suspended in the water and no longer settles to the bottom of the pot. It's done in about 15 minutes (still stirring often), but is supposedly even better if you cook it for about an hour - I wouldn't know, I'm always too impatient :).
• Take of the stove and stir in the butter or olive oil and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese.
• Place a mound of polenta in the center of each plate. Top with goat cheese, roasted tomato, basil and pine nuts.

POLENTA WITH FONTINA AND THYME

Steps:

• Bring broth, thyme and garlic to boil in heavy large saucepan. Gradually whisk in polenta. Reduce heat to medium; cook until polenta is thick and creamy, whisking frequently, about 20 minutes. Add cheeses. Stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl and serve.
• *Available at Italian markets and some supermarkets. If unavailable, substitute 1 cup regular yellow cornmeal, and cook mixture about 12 minutes.