Polenta With Spinach And Peas For One Food

POLENTA WITH GREEN BEANS, MUSHROOMS, PEAS, AND LEEKS

Steps:

• Blanch green beans 1 minute in boiling water. Add peas and cook until both beans and peas are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl of ice water to cool. Drain. Cut beans on diagonal into 1-inch pieces. Set beans and peas aside.
• Bring milk and broth to boil in large saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium. Gradually whisk in polenta. Reduce heat to low. Cook until polenta is very thick, whisking almost constantly, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat; cover to keep warm.
• Meanwhile, combine leeks and vermouth in medium saucepan. Boil over medium-high heat until reduced to 1/3 cup, 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Gradually whisk in butter, allowing each addition to melt before adding next. Add cream and whisk over very low heat to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until almost tender, 5 minutes. Stir in shallots, 1 tablespoon parsley, and thyme. Sauté until mushrooms are very tender, about 5 minutes. Add beans and peas, tossing to coat.
• Rewarm polenta and spoon into large shallow bowl. Top with green bean mixture and remaining 1 tablespoon parsley. Rewarm leeks over low heat, whisking constantly; spoon evenly over polenta.
• Sold at some supermarkets and at natural foods stores and Italian markets. If unavailable, substitute an equal amount of regular yellow cornmeal and cook about half as long.

POLENTA WITH MUSHROOMS AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°. Brush both sides of polenta slices with 1 tablespoon oil; place on a 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake 20-25 minutes on each side or until crisp., Meanwhile, in large skillet, heat remaining oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and shallot; cook and stir 12-14 minutes or until liquid has evaporated and mushrooms start to brown. Add sherry; cook, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan., In a small bowl, mix flour, salt and pepper; stir in broth until smooth. Stir into pan. Cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Add spinach; cook and stir over medium-low heat until slightly wilted, about 2 minutes., Arrange polenta on a platter; top with mushroom mixture.

SPINACH, WHITE BEANS, AND BAKED POLENTA SLICES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Place polenta slices on a baking sheet and mist with cooking spray.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Cook garlic in the hot oil until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add onion and bell pepper; cook until tender, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in paprika and cook for about 30 seconds. Stir spinach, beans, and 1/4 cup reserved bean liquid into the pan. Cook and stir until beans are heated through and spinach is wilted, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Serve vegetables over polenta.

CREAMY POLENTA WITH SPINACH

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, bring the chicken broth, oil, garlic and 1 1/2 cups water to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and whisk in the polenta. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, about 10 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan, mascarpone, pecorino and butter. Cook, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Fold in the spinach and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes longer. Add 1/4 cup water if the mixture gets too thick.
• Pour the polenta into a large bowl and serve with grated Parmesan over the top.

CREAMY POLENTA & MUSHROOM RAGOUT

Steps:

• Soak the dried mushrooms in 150ml warm water. Set aside for 20 mins, then drain and squeeze, reserving the soaking liquid. Heat the butter in a large frying pan. When sizzling, add the shallot and cook for a few mins until soft. Add the garlic and thyme leaves, cook for 1 min more, then turn up the heat and add the soaked mushrooms. After 1 min, add all the other mushrooms and fry over a very high heat for 5 mins until soft. Splash in the red wine and boil rapidly for 1 min. Pour in the stock and reserved mushroom liquid, and simmer for 15 mins until you have a thickened stew. Turn off the heat.
• For the polenta, bring the milk to the boil with 500ml water, the bay and thyme. Turn off the heat and leave to infuse for 20 mins, then fish out the herbs and bring back to the boil. Add the polenta in a steady stream, whisking steadily. Cook for 1 min until thickened, then stir in the butter and Parmesan. Spoon a 'crater' of polenta onto a baking tray and fill with the ragout. Top with slices of Taleggio, place under a hot grill until melting and oozy, then let everyone help themselves.

POLENTA WITH FETA AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Prepare the polenta by boiling the water with the salt and butter or olive oil then adding the polenta in a steady stream while stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Continue cooking and stirring for about 5 minutes (longer if you don't have the quick-cooking variety).
• Spoon into shallow bowls and crumble feta cheese over the top and sprinkle with pepper.
• Bring the spinach to the table in a separate bowl. Take as much spinach as you want/as will fit on top of your polenta and EAT getting a little polenta, cheese and spinach in each bite.
• You can substitute chicken stock or vegetable stock for the water for more flavor but scale back the salt if you do. You can also add onion powder to the polenta or chopped green onion to the spinach. It is pretty versatile.

POLENTA WITH SPINACH

Steps:

• Cut the frozen blocks of spinach into small pieces and place in a heavy skillet without water. Cover the pan and heat the spinach just until it is thoroughly thawed. Drain and chop very fine. Blend the chopped spinach with the garlic, lemon juice, salt and olive oil. Oil an oval or square baking dish and put the spinach in the bottom. Top with polenta, dot with butter and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake in a 375°F. oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the polenta is delicately brown. Serve as an accompaniment to beef, veal or pork dishes.

POLENTA WITH PEAS AND PANCETTA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in sauce pot over medium-high heat. Add pancetta and cook until crisp, 5 minutes then remove to a plate. Add the liquids to the sauce pot and bring to boil. Whisk polenta into the liquid and continue to whisk 2 to 3 minutes to thicken. Season with salt and pepper and stir in peas to heat through 1 minute more. Remove from heat, stir in cheese and adjust seasoning. Garnish with pancetta.

CREAMY POLENTA WITH SPINACH

Steps:

• Cook the polenta according to pack instructions. When the polenta is softened and smooth, stir through the mascarpone and spinach. Leave for 30 secs until the spinach has just begun to wilt, stir again and then serve.

POLENTA WITH SPINACH AND PEAS (FOR ONE)

Steps:

• Combine polenta and water in a small saucepan. Slowly bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking from time to time to break up any lumps that form.
• Add salt, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until polenta is thick, pulls away from the sides of the pan, and is no longer grainy on the tongue, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Stir in the spinach, peas, mascarpone and parmesan. Taste and adjust salt. Eat with a spoon.

PARMESAN-RICOTTA POLENTA

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a saucier or saucepan , combine water and milk. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. When it simmers, sprinkle the polenta gradually into the pot, stirring briskly with a whisk to prevent lumps from forming. Add a pinch of salt, and continue simmering over medium-low heat, stirring frequently with a whisk.
• Cook for about 20 minutes, until polenta does not have a gritty mouthfeel when tasted. Stir in 1/4 cup ricotta cheese and Parmesan cheese, and stir with a whisk or wooden spoon until cheese is melted.
• While polenta is cooking, chiffonade basil leaves : stack leaves and roll tightly into a cigar shape. Use a knife to cut through roll crosswise to make thin shreds of basil. Set aside.
• To serve, spoon a portion of polenta (about 1/2 cup) onto each plate. Top with a dollop of about 1 tablespoon ricotta cheese and sprinkle with some of the basil chiffonade. Serve immediately.