Polenta With Zucchini And Tomatoes Recipes

POLENTA WITH ZUCCHINI AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Begin making the polenta. While it's in the oven, cook the squash. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy nonstick skillet, and add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until just about tender, about five minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for a minute or two, until fragrant. Stir in the squash and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and toss together for five to eight minutes, until it is coated with oil and beginning to soften. Add the tomatoes and their juice, the sugar and salt to taste. Turn the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring often, for five to 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down slightly. Turn the heat back down to medium and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and aromatic. If they begin to dry and stick to the pan before the end of the cooking time (if you're using fresh tomatoes, this may happen because there isn't as much juice as with canned tomatoes), add up to 1/4 cup water. Stir in the parsley and mint, and simmer for a few more minutes. Remove from the heat, taste, adjust the salt and add pepper.
• When the polenta is ready, remove from the oven. If adding Parmesan, stir it in. Spoon onto plates, and make a depression in the center. Top with the zucchini. Garnish with additional Parmesan, and serve.

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.

POLENTA WITH ROASTED TOMATOES

Steps:

• Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 450. Toss the tomatoes, olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large ovenproof skillet. Roast in the oven until the tomatoes are charred around the edges, about 25 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 but keep the tomatoes inside.
• Meanwhile, bring 5 cups water to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Slowly whisk in the polenta until smooth and creamy. Add 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat, cover and keep warm.
• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Slice the chard leaves into wide strips and the stems into 1-inch pieces. Boil the stems until almost tender, about 5 minutes, then add the leaves and cook until both are tender, about 3 more minutes. Drain the chard.
• Remove the skillet from the oven and place over medium-high heat. Push the tomatoes to one side, add the butter and swirl until the butter is golden brown. Add the chard and toss to coat. Divide the polenta among 4 bowls. Top with the tomatoes and chard. Season the cheese with salt and sprinkle over the top.

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.

POLENTA WITH HOMEMADE TOMATO-SEAFOOD SAUCE

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in onion and garlic; cook until the onion has softened and the garlic has begun to turn brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the celery and cook for 5 minutes. Add olive oil, Italian seasoning, parsley, bouillon cubes, and red wine; simmer for 5 minutes, stirring to break up the bouillon cubes. Stir in canned tomatoes, sugar, cayenne, and paprika. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Take the tomato sauce off of the heat and puree with a stick blender until smooth. Stir in the mixed seafood, and return to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in squid, reduce heat to medium-low, and gently simmer for 30 minutes; season to taste with salt and pepper.
• While the tomato-seafood sauce is simmering, prepare the polenta by bringing water to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium, and slowly whisk in polenta with a wire whisk. Allow to simmer 5 minutes, whisking constantly. Stir in spinach, Parmesan cheese, and mozzarella cheese. Reduce heat to medium-low, and allow to slowly simmer 15 minutes, stirring frequently to keep from burning. Once the polenta has softened and turned creamy, remove from heat, season to taste with garlic salt, and keep warm.
• To prepare the vegetable mix, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in red onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add zucchini and cook for an additional 2 minutes, or until zucchini begins to brown. Stir in mushrooms, and continue cooking until soft. Season with balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.
• To serve, scoop a pile of polenta into the center of each plate; ladle the seafood sauce around, then top with vegetable mixture.

POLENTA WITH VEGETABLES AND TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Wash, trim, dry and slice mushrooms (use food processor); peel and mince garlic.
• Heat 3 teaspoons of oil in a large nonstick pan. Add the mushrooms and garlic. Saute until the mushrooms begin to brown, stirring occasionally.
• Chop onion in food processor. Heat the remaining oil in a small nonstick pan and saute the onion until it begins to soften and brown.
• Shuck corn and steam for about 3 minutes.
• Scrub, trim and slice zucchini in food processor.
• Wash and chop oregano and add with the zucchini to the mushrooms and continue cooking over medium heat, five or six minutes, until zucchini is crisp but tender.
• Bring water to boil for polenta, following package directions.
• Wash, trim and slice the tomatoes in the food processor and add to onion; simmer until the rest of the dish is ready.
• Coarsely grate the cheese.
• Slowly add polenta to the boiling water and stir until mixture begins to thicken. It is ready when water is almost completely absorbed. Remove from heat and stir in half of the cheese. Then spoon immediately into large shallow baking dish, about 10 by 15 inches, and spread evenly.
• Remove enough corn from cob to make 2 cups and stir into zucchini mixture. Spoon over polenta and top with tomato sauce; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Either serve immediately or run under broiler (do not preheat) for a couple of minutes. Just before serving, sprinkle with parsley.

ITALIAN POLENTA TOMATO MOZZARELLA BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400ºF. Place polenta slices, slightly overlapping, into lightly greased 9x13 pan. Arrange tomato slices over polenta. Scatter olive halves (if using) over tomato. Drizzle with garlic olive oil and balsalmic vinegar. Sprinkle with Italian herbs; season with salt and pepper if desired. Top with mozzarella cheese.
• Cover with foil, and bake for 45 minutes.
• Remove from oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes before cutting. Garnish with basil once plated.

ZUCCHINI POLENTA

Steps:

• Mix the cornmeal and water together in a small bowl.
• Bring the broth and salt to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Lower heat to medium-low and slowly add cornmeal, stirring for about 2 minutes or until the polenta is smooth (use a long-handled spoon to stir the polenta; it bubbles up and will burn).
• Remove pan from heat; add in zucchini, cheddar cheese, and butter; stir until well mixed and cheese is melted.
• Spread mixture into an 8-inch square glass baking dish that has been coated lightly with cooking spray.
• Spoon tomato sauce over the top; sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
• Bake in a 350° oven, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until heated through.
• Let stand 5 minutes, then cut into squares to serve.