Polenta with Blistered Cherry Tomato Vin and Arugula Salad

 
polenta.jpg
 
 

This recipe is stunning, delicious, and features my Grandmother’s famously delicious creamy polenta

Cheesy polenta cakes, a luscious warm vinaigrette of blistered cherry tomatoes and roasted garlic, and a fresh arugula salad with slices of Pecorino Romano on top, YUM. This is a great summer recipe when cherry tomatoes are in season, or perfect to impress brunch guests and easy to prep ahead of time.

Ingredients

(Serves 4)

For the Polenta

  • 1 cup of organic stone-ground polenta

  • 2 cups unsweetened almond, cashew, or oat milk

  • 2 cups of water

  • 3 tablespoons of grass-fed butter

  • 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, or sub parmesan (you can skip this, and sub butter for olive for a dairy-free version BUT don’t tell my Grandmother)

  • salt and pepper

For the Vinaigrette

  • 3 cups cherry tomatoes, left whole

  • 10-12 garlic cloves thinly sliced

  • 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

  • 10 leaves fresh basil

  • 1/2 cup EVOO

  • 1 tbsp high-heat oil like avocado oil

  • 1 tsp dried oregano

  • salt and pepper

Arugula Salad

  • 2 cups of baby arugula

  • 1/2 lemon

  • 3 tbsp EVOO

  • 10 large slices of Pecorino Romano or parmesan (use a vegetable peeler to get large slices)

  • salt, pepper

The polenta can be served creamy and warm for this dish, but the photo features chilled-set polenta. It holds up better for a nice looking salad, but both are completely delicious. To make polenta cakes, you make the polenta, pour it into a dish and let it cool in the fridge for 3 hours or overnight.

Directions

  • Heat the water, nut milk and salt in a saucepan until simmering, (don’t let it scorch)

  • Pour in the polenta while stirring vigorously

  • Let it boil, reduce to simmer, and continue stirring frequently as it cooks and thickens

  • Turn off heat, add the butter, cheese, and s+p to the pot

  • Ready to serve hot or pour it into a cookie sheet or baking dish and let it set up in the fridge and cut it into rounds or squares later with a cookie cutter (you can use the rim of a glass also!)

Make the vinaigrette

  • Heat a dry frying pan until scorching hot, add 1 tablespoon of avocado oil

  • Add cherry tomatoes to the pan (they will sizzle and burst, so be careful) and let them blister and get caramelized for about 5 min, then roll around in the pan, and another 5 min

  • Transfer them to a side plate and turn the heat to medium-low

  • Add 2 tbsp EVOO and thinly sliced garlic and let is begin to cook on low until it’s just slightly golden and caramelized

  • Add dried oregano, chili flakes and transfer into a bowl with the tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and thin slices of fresh basil, mix it all together like a chunky sauce

  • Get another bowl and dress the arugula with EVOO, lemon juice, salt and pepper, and slices of cheese

  • Cut chilled polenta (you can warm it in the oven or a pan, but cold is good too!), pour a generous helping of the tomato-balsamic vinaigrette on the polenta and around the plate, top with arugula salad

  • Enjoy!

 
Francesca Barone