Tomato Polenta With Mushrooms And Olives Food

POLENTA WITH MUSHROOMS, FAVAS AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Make the polenta as directed, and while it is baking, cook the mushrooms and tomatoes.
• Prepare the fava beans. Shell them while you bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Drop the beans into the water, and boil small favas for one minute, large favas for two, then transfer at once to a bowl of ice-cold water. Drain. Remove the skins, using your thumbnail to open up the skin at the spot where the bean is attached to the pod, then gently squeezing out the bean.
• Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat, add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the mushrooms, thyme and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms are moist and beginning to soften, about five minutes. Add the wine, turn up the heat and cook, stirring, until the liquid in the pan has reduced and glazed the mushrooms. Stir in the tomatoes, add salt and pepper to taste, and bring to a simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down (there should still be some liquid in the pan) and the mixture is fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add the skinned fava beans and continue to simmer for five to 10 minutes. Taste, adjust seasonings, and remove from the heat.
• When the polenta is ready, remove from the heat, spoon onto plates and make a depression in the middle. Top with the mushrooms, favas and tomatoes, and sprinkle with basil and Parmesan. Serve at once.

HERB AND TOMATO POLENTA

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and tomatoes. Cook the tomatoes, stirring occasionally, until they start to blister and release some of their juices, 8 to 10 minutes. Toss in the garlic and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook another 1 minute, then remove from the heat.
• In a saucepan over low heat, stir the Parmesan and butter into the Cooked Polenta, thinning with milk as desired. Turn off the heat, stir in the lemon zest, taste for seasoning and add salt if necessary.
• Transfer the polenta to a serving bowl. Use a spoon to create a shallow well and top with the tomatoes, torn basil, some black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.
• Bring 6 cups of water to a rolling boil in a heavy-bottomed 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting, add the baking soda and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and pour the cornmeal into the water in a very slow stream from a measuring cup, all the while whisking in a circular motion to prevent lumps.
• Cook, vigorously stirring the polenta with a wooden spoon for about 10 seconds once every 5 minutes and making sure to scrape clean the bottom and corners of the pot, until the polenta has lost its raw cornmeal taste and becomes soft and smooth, about 30 minutes. If the polenta looks like it's drying out too quickly, continue cooking with the lid on. Cooked Polenta recipe courtesy of Jeff Mauro.

CHICKEN WITH TOMATOES & OLIVES OVER POLENTA

Steps:

• To prepare chicken, On waxed paper, combine flour, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt; Coat chicken legs.
• In nonstick 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat until hot.
• Add legs and cook 10 to 12 minutes until browned, turning over once.
• Transfer to plate.
• To drippings in skillet; Add onion and cook 5 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently.
• Add wine; boil 2 minutes or until reduced by half.
• Add tomatoes with the juice, olives, lemon peel, 6 thyme sprigs and remaining salt.
• Return legs with any juices to skillet, stirring to coat.
• Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 20 minutes or just until juices run clear when the thickest part of the leg is pierced with a knife.
• Meanwhile, prepare Soft Polenta: In a 3-quart saucepan, heat milk and broth to boiling over high heat.
• Reduce heat to low; Gradually whisk in cornmeal.
• Cook 10 minutes or until mixrure is very thick, stir occasionally.
• Remove saucepan from heat; stir in butter and pepper.
• Remove lemon peel and thyme sprigs from chicken mixture.
• Spoon polenta on to plates; top with a chicken leg and some sauce.
• Garnish with remaining thyme sprigs.
• Enjoy.

SPINACH, MUSHROOM, AND TOMATO SAUCE WITH POLENTA

Steps:

• For the polenta:.
• Preheat oven to 400F.
• Mix milk, water and salt and heat over medium high heat, almost to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low, slowly add polenta and stir well.
• Continue to heat, stirring frequently, until polenta creates a dough consistency.
• Add butter and parmesan and form into 6 patties. Bake roughly 10-15 minutes.
• For the sauce:.
• Heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add mushrooms, salt and pepper. Cook for roughly 3-4 minutes.
• Add tomatoes and garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes. Stir in spinach and artichokes, reduce heat to medium and cook until spinach begins to wilt, roughly 2 minutes.

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.

BAKED POLENTA WITH WILD MUSHROOM AND TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Prepare polenta and chill.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Put tomatoes in saucepan and bring to boil. Let cook until reduced to about 2 cups.
• Heat half of oil in small skillet and add garlic. Cook briefly and add tomatoes, salt and pepper. Add hot pepper flakes.
• Thinly slice mushrooms. Heat remaining oil in skillet and add mushrooms, salt and pepper. Cook briefly, stirring, until mushrooms give up liquid. Cook until liquid evaporates. Add mushrooms to tomato sauce and simmer 3 minutes.
• Cut polenta into 1/2-inch slices. Arrange about 1/3 of slices on bottom of baking dish. Sprinkle with 1/2 mushroom and tomato sauce. Sprinkle with 1/3 of butter and 1/3 of cheese. Add second layer of polenta. Add another layer of tomato and mushroom sauce, another 1/3 of butter and another 1/3 of cheese.
• Add final layer of polenta and sprinkle with remaining butter and cheese.
• Place in oven and bake 20 minutes. Preheat broiler to high. Run dish under broiler until golden brown on top.