Polenta Pie With Sweet Potato Carrot Caponata Food

BASIC POLENTA

Steps:

• Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a heavy large saucepan. Add 2 teaspoons of salt. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the mixture thickens and the cornmeal is tender, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat. Add the butter, and stir until melted.

CREAMY SWEET POTATO POLENTA

Steps:

• Add the sweet potatoes to a large pot, cover with water and add 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until the potatoes are easily pierced with a knife, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and puree the potatoes in a food processor until smooth.
• Bring the heavy cream and 2 cups water to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat. Slowly whisk in the polenta and garlic powder. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the polenta is smooth and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Stir in the sweet potato puree and cheese until well combined. Season with salt and pepper.

POLENTA PIE WITH SWEET POTATO & CARROT CAPONATA

Steps:

• Rub springform pan with small amount of oil and set aside. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Prepare crust: Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a 2 1/2-qt saucepan. Add cornmeal and salt, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 25 minutes or until cornmeal is soft and creamy, adding more water if desired or if cornmeal begins to look dry. Remove from heat and stir in dried herbs. Prepare filling: In a large skillet on medium heat, sauté onion in oil for 3 minutes or until onion just begins to turn translucent. Gently fold in chard and cook for another 2 minutes, then stir in peas and remove from heat. Add half of herbed cornmeal to springform pan, using a spatula to smooth it across the bottom. Spoon chard filling onto cornmeal, then finish with another layer of remaining herbed cornmeal over chard filling. (Don't worry if crust doesn't come all the way out to the edges.) Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until top begins to turn golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool for at least 5 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare caponata: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Simmer sweet potatoes for 5 minutes, then promptly drain. Heat oil in a large skillet on medium for 1 minute. Add onion, carrots and celery and cook for 5 minutes. Add sweet potatoes and cook for 5 more minutes. Stir in maple syrup, vinegar and spices and reduce heat to lowest setting. Cover caponata and let simmer for 20 minutes. Unlock sides of springform pan and use a flat spatula to serve portions of pie. Accompany each portion with a spoonful of caponata.

SWEET POTATO-TOPPED COTTAGE PIE

Steps:

• For the base: heat half of the oil in a pan, add the onion and fry until it starts to soften, then add the garlic, celery and carrot and cook until soft. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a separate frying pan and fry the mince in batches, scooping each batch out with a slotted spoon and leave any excess oil behind.
• Add the mince to the veg, then stir in the tomato purée and cook for 1 min. Stir in the passata and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over a very low heat for 1½-2 hrs, then add the milk and cook for 30 mins. If you're making the base ahead of time, you can leave it to cool at this stage then freeze for up to a month. (Defrost fully before using in the next step.)
• To finish the recipe, heat more oil in a pan and fry another onion until it starts to soften. Add the carrot and celery and fry until tender. Add the thyme and bay and cook for 1 min, then tip in the mince base and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 mins (take off the lid towards the end if it's not thick enough).
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Cook the sweet potatoes in simmering water until tender, drain well, then add the milk and mash the potatoes.
• Tip the meat mixture into a casserole dish and level it out (fish out the thyme and bay and discard), then pile the potato mixture on top and spread it out. Cook for 30 mins or until the top begins to brown.

CAPONATA AND HERB POLENTA

Steps:

• Place the cutting board near the stovetop. Preheat a big, deep pot over medium heat. Add oil, garlic, and crushed pepper. As you chop vegetables (peppers, onion, and celery), add them to the pot. Once vegetables are in there, increase heat a bit.
• Stir in olives, capers, and raisins. Salt the diced eggplant and stir into the pot. Add tomatoes, diced and crushed, to the pot and stir caponata well to combine. Cover pot and cook caponata 15 to 20 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Stir in parsley and remove pan from heat.
• Polenta: Bring 3 cups chicken broth to a boil. Add polenta and stir constantly until the cornmeal masses together. Stir in herbs, butter, cheese, salt, and pepper.
• Spread polenta out over a serving platter. Make a shallow well from the center out and fill with half of the prepared caponata. This stands as a complete dinner on its own, so rich with vitamins and fresh vegetables. Refrigerate the remaining caponata for a later use.
• If you prepare a salad, keep it simple. Dress mixed greens with oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Caponata can also be used as a bruschetta topping.

SWEET POTATO AND CARROT PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place the potatoes, carrots, sugar, milk, eggs, and pumpkin pie spice together in a blender; blend until smooth. Pour mixture into the pie crust.
• Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

BAKED POLENTA CARROT CASSEROLE

Steps:

• In a pot combine vegetable broth and milk and bring to a boil. turn off heat, stir in polenta and cook until thickened (abut 3-5 minutes). Set aside to thicken further.
• Clean, wash and peel the carrots. Slice lenghtwise.
• Heat butter in a skillet and add carrots. Saute for some minutes, then add 5 tbs of water and cook covered on medium heat for another ten minutes until soft. Season with sugar, salt and pepper.
• Add sour cream or yoghurt, sage and half of the cheese to the polenta and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Pour into a casserole dish (about 20X12 cm) and top with the carrots (I used their liquid too since it was full of flavour, but that way the casserole may get a bit soggy).
• Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake in the preheated oven at 200°C (~400°F) for 20 minutes.
• Let stand for about 5 minutes until polenta has set and can be sliced.

MEXICAN POLENTA PIE

Steps:

• preheat oven to 375°F.
• In a skillet cook onion, sweet pepper,and garlic in 1 tablespoon hot oil until tender.
• Add turkey, chili powder, cumin and cayenne.
• Cook until turkey is no longer pink, stirring to break up meat.
• Add beans, undrained tomatoes and salsa.
• Bring to boiling; reduce heat.
• Simmer gently 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, grease a 3-quart rectangular baking dish with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil.
• Cut 1 tube polenta into 1/2-inch cubes; press evenly into prepared baking dish.
• Halve remaining polenta lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch thick slices; set aside.
• Sprinkle 1 cup of cheese over polenta in dish.
• Top with meat mixture.
• Arrange sliced polenta over meat; sprinkle with remaining cheese and fresh tomato.
• Bake, uncovered, for 35 minutes or until bubbly.
• Sprinkle with cilantro.
• Let stand 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
• Makes 12 servings.

SWEET POTATO POLENTA

Steps:

• Bring the heavy cream and water to a boil.
• Reduce heat to medium.
• Slowly add the cornmeal, stirring constantly.
• Cook over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring regularly.
• Add pureed sweet potato, brown sugar and cheese, combine well.
• Finish with a dab of butter and season with S+P.

POLENTA

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Pour in polenta steadily, stirring constantly. Continue to stir until polenta is thickened. It should come away from sides of the pan, and be able to support a spoon. This can take anywhere from 20 to 50 minutes. Pour polenta onto a wooden cutting board, let stand for a few minutes.

CAPONATA WITH CHEESY POLENTA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a medium pan set over a medium heat, and fry the onion, courgette and aubergine for 5-10 mins, or until beginning to soften. Stir in the garlic, oregano and chilli flakes, followed by the tomatoes, olives and capers. Season to taste, then simmer, covered, for 20 mins, or until all the veg is soft and cooked through. Stir in the basil and taste for seasoning.
• Meanwhile, cook the polenta following pack instructions - you may need to loosen with some water or milk if it's too thick. Mix with the parmesan, then spoon and spread over two plates. Top with the caponata and extra basil. Season.