Polenta Fingers With Beans And Tomatoes Food

POLENTA WITH TOMATO-BRAISED BEANS

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add parsley and garlic to pan; sauté 1 minute.
• Add sage and tomatoes; cook 12 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Add black pepper, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and beans to pan. Cover, reduce heat, and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Bring 4 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a large saucepan. Add polenta in a thin stream, stirring constantly. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Cover and cook 10 minutes.
• Uncover and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Cover and cook 5 minutes. Uncover and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Cover and cook 5 minutes; uncover and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Serve polenta with bean mixture.

WHITE BEANS, POLENTA, ROASTED TOMATOES AND GARLIC

Steps:

• To make the beans, preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Fill a small saucepan with enough water to cover the garlic. When water boils add garlic and cook one minute. Drain and repeat this procedure three times -- it will eliminate the harshness and leave the flavor. Mash the garlic with garlic press; set aside.
• Lightly oil a roasting pan and place tomatoes in pan. Roast 10 to 15 minutes, turning once, until juice is released and skins have puckered. When tomatoes are ready, peel and add to pot large enough to hold all the ingredients for the beans.
• Add the garlic, sage, stock and beans. Simmer until mixture is thick and most of the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt if desired and pepper.
• To make the polenta meanwhile, boil water in small pot with the butter, milk and salt.
• When water boils, reduce heat slightly and slowly whisk in polenta. Reduce heat to very low and cook the polenta 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
• To serve, spoon polenta into a shallow bowl or plate and spoon bean sauce over top.

POLENTA OR GRITS WITH BEANS AND CHARD

Steps:

• Chop 1/2 of the onion and set aside. To cook dried beans, transfer with their soaking water to a heavy pot. If beans are not covered by 1 1/2 to 2 inches of water, add more water as necessary. Over medium-high heat, bring to a gentle boil and skim away foam. Add unchopped halved onion, crushed garlic cloves and bouquet garni, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 1 hour. Using tongs, removed halved onion and whole garlic cloves.
• Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium heat in a medium skillet and add chopped onion and carrot. Cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes, and add chard stems, garlic and pepper flakes. Continue to cook for another couple of minutes, until onion and chard stems are soft. Stir vegetable mixture into beans. Add tomato paste and salt to taste (I use at least 1 1/2 teaspoons), cover and continue to simmer very gently for 1 hour or until beans are tender all the way through and their texture is plush and velvety. Remove and discard bouquet garni.
• Add chard greens (depending on the size of your pot you may have to add a portion at a time, cover for a minute until the first portion wilts, then add the next portion and so on until all of the greens have been added) and continue to simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until greens are tender but still have some color and life in them. Taste bean broth; it should taste rich, delicious, a little spicy. Add salt as necessary. Keep warm.
• Meanwhile, toward the end of the cooking time for the beans, cook polenta; or wait until beans are done and start polenta or grits. When done, spoon into wide soup bowls and press down in the middle with the back of a spoon. Spoon beans and greens with broth over polenta or grits. Top with a little Parmesan or feta and serve.

POLENTA WITH TOMATO AND WILD MUSHROOM SAUCE

Steps:

• Cover mushrooms with hot water and set aside.
• Crush the plum tomatoes between the fingers and place in pot, without the juice, along with the thyme, oregano and pepper. Cook over medium high heat for 10 minutes, until most of liquid has been absorbed.
• Drain mushrooms and squeeze out liquid; chop coarsely and add to tomatoes. Strain leftover liquid. Add some mushroom liquid if tomato mixture has become too dry.
• Meanwhile, bring chicken stock to boil (follow directions on instant polenta package for amount of liquid needed).
• When stock has boiled, slowly add polenta, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick and liquid has been absorbed.
• Serve polenta topped with the tomato-mushroom sauce and grated cheese.