Roast Pepper Polenta Cakes Food

SPICY POLENTA CAKES

Steps:

• Combine the milk, salt and 2 cups water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat and slowly whisk in the polenta. Cook, whisking constantly, until the polenta tightens and there are no lumps, about 4 minutes. Stir in the queso blanco, butter, cilantro, pepper and jalapeno. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
• Generously butter a 9-by-9-inch baking pan. Pour the polenta into the pan and set aside to cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours, until firm.
• Preheat a griddle pan over medium heat. Invert the polenta onto a clean cutting board and slice it into nine 3-inch squares. Brush the squares on both sides with the olive oil, then griddle them until golden brown and warmed through, about 3 minutes per side. While warm, drizzle the polenta cakes with the honey and squeeze lime juice over the top. Serve.

BAKED POLENTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease an 11 by 17-inch baking sheet pan with oil. Line pan with waxed paper. The oil will secure the waxed paper onto the pan.
• In a large pot bring to a boil 2 quarts of salted water. Stir in extra-virgin olive oil. When water has reached a boil, reduce heat to medium high and slowly add the polenta, whisking constantly for 3 minutes. When polenta is thick and smooth, pour it into the prepared pan. Spread the polenta evenly.
• Bake in oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan. Note: the polenta will not brown or change in color. When cool enough to handle, cut into any shape you desire. I like to cut out 2-inch circles.

FRIED POLENTA CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a 1 to 1 1/2 quart oven-safe container, stir together water, salt, pepper, and polenta
• Add butter to the mixture, cut up in chunks.
• Place container, uncovered, in center rack of oven and bake 40 minutes.
• Open oven, pull out rack, add parmesan, and any other ingredients like sun-dried tomatoes, olives, lemon zest, herbs, shallots, cilantro etc. and let bake another 10 minutes.
• Pull out of oven and let rest in refrigerator 20 minutes to over-night.
• In frying pan, on medium-high, heat oil.
• Spoon about half a cup of polenta into the pan at a time, fry until golden brown on each side.
• Let cakes rest about 3-5 minutes and serve.

ROASTED RED PEPPER POLENTA

Steps:

• To fire-roast the red peppers, place them over a high flame on a stove-top burner and roast, turning occasionally, until the skins turn black on all sides. Place the peppers in a medium bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to steam for 10 minutes. Peel away the blackened skins from the peppers. Cut away the stems and then seed, core and coarsely chop the peppers. Place them in a food processor and puree until smooth; reserve to the side.
• In a heavy-bottom medium pot, bring 8 cups water, thesalt and the roasted red pepper puree to a boil. Add the stone-ground cornmeal in a gentle stream, whisking or stirring vigorously in the same direction as you pour it in. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring continuously for 2 to 3 minutes. Cook the polenta for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring every few minutes and scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent it from sticking. When the polenta is thick, glossy and pulling away from the side of the pan, add the Pecorino Romano and butter, stirring quickly to incorporate. Pour the polenta into a medium serving dish and serve immediately.

GRILLED POLENTA CRACKERS WITH ROASTED PEPPER SALSA

Steps:

• Preheat grill pan to high.
• Slice polenta and brush lightly with oil. Grill 2 or 3 minutes on each side to score the cakes and warm them.
• Place peppers, olives, capers, parsley, onion, garlic and red pepper flakes in processor and pulse the power to chop salsa. Top polenta with spoonfuls of salsa and serve.

ROAST PEPPER POLENTA CAKES

Steps:

• Slice the peppers and remove the seeds. Grill until cooked and peel off the skin. Chop the pepper into a small dice.
• Bring the milk to a simmer in a small pan.
• Add the polenta and garlic and stir until thickened, once thick add the cheese and stir.
• Remove pan from the heat and cool a little before adding the diced pepper and basil and mixing.
• Divide the mix into eight and form into patties.
• Fry in the olive oil for 3 mins each side.

POLENTA SHAPES WITH ROASTED RED BELL PEPPER SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large pot over medium-high heat, bring stock to a boil.
• Slowly pour in polenta, stirring with a whisk as you add it. After all polenta is added it will take about 2 minutes for it to begin to thicken. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking and stirring occasionally for approximately 40 minutes, or until polenta is smooth, and no longer gritty on the tongue. Just before finishing, stir in Parmigiano-Reggiano and thyme.
• In a 9 by 12-inch baking dish, add 1 tablespoon water. Transfer polenta to baking dish and spread until it is of uniform thickness. Refrigerate for 1 hour, or until it solidifies.
• To make roasted red bell pepper sauce, roast the red and poblano peppers whole over a gas flame, a charcoal flame or under a broiler, turning 1/4 rotation every few minutes, until entirely blackened. Immediately place in a paper bag, seal, and let sit for 3 minutes. Peel off the charred skin and discard. Slice the peeled peppers open and discard the membranes and seeds
• In a saute pan over medium heat, heat the butter and add the shallots. Cook for about 6 minutes, stirring frequently, or until the shallots just begin to show signs of browning.
• Add the stock, 2 roasted bell peppers, poblano chili, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes. (Adjust heat as required to simmer.)
• Remove from heat and let cool. In a food processor or blender, add pan contents along with the remaining red peppers, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth. Reserve.
• Use a cookie cutter or a pairing knife to cut out desired polenta shapes. In a saute pan over medium high heat, add oil and saute polenta shapes for approximately 5 minutes per side, or until a golden brown crispy crust has formed on each side.
• Just before serving, re-heat sauce in a saucepan and stir in cream. Ladle 2/3 cup of roasted red bell pepper sauce into a shallow bowl. Top with one piece of polenta. Serve immediately.
• Recommended beverage: Italian Chianti (red)

SOFT POLENTA WITH ROASTED RED PEPPERS

Steps:

• In a large heavy saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and saute, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more, until its aroma is released.
• Add the chicken stock, water, and salt to the pan and increase the heat to medium high. When the liquid is simmering, gradually sprinkle the polenta over in a very slow, thin stream, whisking constantly in the same direction until all the grains are incorporated and no lumps remain. Reduce the heat to very low. Switch to a wooden paddle and stir thoroughly every few minutes for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan and the grains of polenta have softened. Stir in the butter, thyme, pepper, and grated Manchego and remove from the heat. Spoon some polenta into each of 6 warmed shallow soup bowls and top with some of the roasted peppers and chopped cilantro.

POLENTA CAKES WITH LOBSTER OR CRABMEAT AND ROASTED PEPPER SAUCE

Steps:

• For the crab or lobster filling: Heat olive oil and saute onions, garlic, peppers and mushrooms. Cook until vegetables are tender. Cool. Add lobster or crab, adding cream at the end to moisten. Adjust seasoning. Reserve for polenta cakes. For the polenta: Mix the cornmeal with the cold water. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium low heat for 20-25 minutes, stirring frequently so it doesn't stick. Add butter, cover and keep warm. For the cakes: Mix the seafood filling with the polenta. Season if needed with salt and cayenne. Cool slightly. Form into round cakes while still warm, and dust with bread crumbs. Chill. Saute cakes in olive oil, or brown in the oven on a lightly greased baking sheet. Serve on spoonful of red pepper sauce with sauteed corn. For the roasted pepper sauce: combine the peppers with the wine and stock. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, and cook until the peppers are tender and the liquid is reduced to one cup. Transfer to a food processor and puree until smooth. Adjust seasoning and consistency if needed.

POLENTA, ROASTED VEGETABLES & PEPPERED PARMESAN CRISPS

Steps:

• To make the crisps, turn the oven down to 200C/ 180C fan/ gas mark 6. Season the grated Parmesan with a large pinch of black pepper and scatter evenly over a baking tray covered with a silicone sheet or lightly oiled greaseproof paper and bake for 5 minutes, until golden but not browned. After cooling for five minutes, break into crisp pieces with your fingers.
• Turn the oven up to 220C/ 200C fan/ gas mark 7. Toss the squash and beetroot chunks in the lemon juice and oil, season lightly with salt and pepper, and bake in a roasting tin for 20 minutes. Add the onion wedges and continue to bake for a further 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile bring a litre of water, salt and half the butter to a simmer in a large pot, then slowly add the polenta in a fine stream, stirring all the time. Continue to simmer over a low heat for 35 minutes (or according to the instructions if using quick cook polenta), stirring often to prevent it sticking to the bottom. The polenta should be thickened but still soft at this point. If it starts to dry out too much, add a cup of water. When cooked, stir through the rest of the butter, the Parmesan and Taleggio and a pinch of white pepper.
• To serve, spoon the polenta over a board or onto plates, scatter over the vegetables and any roasting juices, then the rocket and thyme. Tuck the parmesan crisps in between the veg, and eat hot.