Polenta Gratin With Tomato Fontina And Rosemary Food

ROSEMARY POLENTA

Steps:

• Heat the butter and olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, rosemary, salt, and pepper and saute for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock, half-and-half, and milk and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and slowly sprinkle the cornmeal into the hot milk while stirring constantly with a whisk. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for a few minutes, until thickened and bubbly. Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan. Pour into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch pan, smooth the top, and refrigerate until firm and cold.
• Cut the chilled polenta into 12 squares, as you would with brownies. Lift each one out with a spatula and cut diagonally into triangles. Dust each triangle lightly in flour. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large saute pan and cook the triangles in batches over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, turning once, until browned on the outside and heated inside. Add more butter and oil, as needed. Serve immediately.

VEGETABLE GRATIN WITH POLENTA AND SMOKED TOMATO VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• For the polenta: Brush an 8-inch square baking pan with olive oil or butter. In a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed pot bring 1 cup milk and 2 cups water to a boil, then sprinkle in the cornmeal whisking constantly. Keep whisking or stirring until mixture boils and thickens, then reduce heat and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1/2 cup of water if polenta gets too thick. Stir in the salt, softened butter, and herbs, then pour into baking pan and try to smooth into an even layer about 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick. Let cool. For the vegetables: Alternate layers of vegetables on top of polenta, pressing down firmly on each layer, and ending with red peppers and cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Cut into squares and serve with smoked tomato vinaigrette.
• For the Smoked Tomato Vinaigrette: Place wine, shallots, and vinegar in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until liquid is reduced to 1/2 cup. Core and quarter the tomatoes. Puree in blender, then strain puree into the pot. Bring to a boil and simmer until about 1/2 cup of liquid remains. Whisk in olive oils and season with salt and pepper.

POLENTA GRATIN WITH MUSHROOM "BOLOGNESE"

Steps:

• Heat the peanut oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it moves easily across the pan. Add the onion, carrot, celery, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cook for 1 minute, then add the mushrooms and thyme leaves. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are almost tender, about 3 minutes. Add the tomato, cook for about 2 minutes more, then add the stock 2 tablespoons at a time, bringing to a simmer before each addition. Simmer the bolognese until it is concentrated but not yet dry, about 30 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Moisten the polenta with 2 tablespoons of water, mixing well with your hands. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Add a pinch of salt and gradually stir in the polenta. Stirring constantly, bring the polenta to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cook the polenta, stirring occasionally, until it is no longer grainy, about 30 minutes. Stir the olive oil into the polenta, season with salt, and remove it from the heat.
• TO ASSEMBLE: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spoon 1/2 the polenta into a medium baking dish and cover with 1/2 of the sauce. Spoon in the remaining polenta, spread it evenly, then sprinkle with the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Transfer the remaining sauce to a small saucepan and reserve.
• Bake the gratin until the top is golden, about 40 minutes. Just before serving, warm the reserved sauce over low heat. Divide the gratin and sauce among 4 plates and serve.

POLENTA WITH FONTINA AND EGGS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the polenta slices dry with paper towels, add to the skillet and cook until golden, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
• Reduce the heat under the skillet to low. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil, the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until the garlic is golden, about 1 minute.
• Add the tomatoes and 1/2 cup water, bring to a simmer and cook 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Remove 1/4 cup of the sauce and set aside.
• Arrange the polenta rounds in the skillet with the sauce, then crack the eggs on top. Season with salt and pepper and top with the reserved sauce and the cheese. Transfer to the oven and bake until the egg whites are set, 13 to 15 minutes. Top with the parsley.

TOMATO-FONTINA TORTE WITH ROSEMARY CRUST

Steps:

• Combine the flour, sugar, 1 teaspoon rosemary, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a food processor and pulse until just combined. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal.
• Whisk the eggs and egg yolk in a small bowl. With the motor running, add the eggs to the food processor and process until the dough just gathers into a ball. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead until soft and pliable. Press the dough into the bottom and about halfway up the side of a 9-inch springform pan. Cover and refrigerate the crust until very cold, at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Slice the tomatoes and spread them out on 2 baking sheets in a single layer. Sprinkle lightly with salt and set aside until they release some of their juices, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the fontina and all but 1 tablespoon of the pecorino in a bowl; add the remaining 1 teaspoon rosemary.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Pat the tomatoes gently with paper towels to absorb the excess moisture. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon panko in the crust, then top with one-third of the tomatoes. Scatter half of the ham over the tomatoes, then half of the cheese mixture. Repeat with the remaining 3 tablespoons panko, another one-third of the tomatoes and the remaining ham and cheese. Top with a final layer of tomatoes and sprinkle with the reserved 1 tablespoon pecorino; drizzle with the olive oil.
• Transfer the pan to a baking sheet and bake until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool about 1 hour, then remove the springform ring.

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.

BAKED POLENTA WITH FONTINA CHEESE

Steps:

• Butter 9x13-inch baking dish. Combine 2 1/4 cups water, broth, shallots and marjoram in heavy large Dutch oven; bring to boil. Mix 2 1/2 cups cold water and cornmeal in bowl. Gradually mix cornmeal mixture into broth mixture. Return to boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium and boil gently until polenta is very thick, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Immediately spread 2 cups polenta in prepared dish. Top with 1 3/4 cups cheese. Drizzle with 1/4 cup cream. Repeat layering, using 2 cups polenta, 1 3/4 cups cheese and 1/4 cup cream. Top with remaining polenta. Spread remaining cheese over. Cover with foil. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before continuing.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake covered polenta until hot in center, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Uncover; continue baking until polenta bubbles at edges and top begins to brown, about 10 minutes.

BAREFOOT CONTESSA'S ROSEMARY POLENTA

Steps:

• Heat the butter and olive oil in a large saucepan.
• Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, rosemary, salt, and pepper and sauté for 1 minute.
• Add the chicken stock, half-and-half, and milk and bring to a boil.
• Remove from the heat and slowly sprinkle the cornmeal into the hot milk while stirring constantly with a whisk.
• Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for a few minutes, until thickened and bubbly.
• Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan.
• Pour into a 9 X 13 X 2-inch pan, smooth the top, and refrigerate until firm and cold.
• Cut the chilled polenta into 12 squares, as you would with brownies.
• Lift each one out with a spatula and cut diagonally into triangles.
• Dust each triangle lightly in flour.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large sauté pan and cook the triangles in batches over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, turning once, until browned on the outside and heated inside.
• Add more butter and oil, as needed.
• Serve immediately.
• **Cook time does not include refrigeration time.