I have no time for a lengthy post today, so I’ll let the picture speak for itself. (Hello delicious melty cheese!) Basically, this dish is polenta (that’s corn grits to you Southern Folk) that’s been left to cool, then cut into pieces and layered with a spicy sausage and eggplant tomato sauce and ricotta and mozzarella cheese. It’s creamy and spicy and corn-y and delicious!
Go make it now!
My parents took a trip to Tuscany not too long ago (I know. I’m still jealous and it was months ago.), and the first thing my dad said to me when he got back was, “I had the most delicious thing ever! Gorgonzola polenta! You have to make it.” And I thought to myself “Duh. Why didn’t I think of that?”
So, last night I finally got around to it. And oh my, was it good! Warm, creamy and full of pungent Gorgonzola cheese, this was just about the best imaginable side for a steak. Mashed potatoes and creamed spinach can step aside – it’s Gorgonzola polenta that will cuddle up with my skirt steaks and rib eyes.
Next time, I think I’ll add some pickled red onions or shallots sauteed in butter to balance the creaminess of the polenta. But honestly, it’s amazing just the way it is.
Now that is an alliterative title! Moving on…
I’m really not a big fan of store-bought or even most restaurant pesto. Something about it tastes stale or old…just not fresh. Maybe they make it too far in advance, maybe they heat it up too long before they use it. I’m not really sure – there’s just something off about it.
I’m lucky enough to live in a place where I can get fresh, local basil all year long. But most of you have likely been on a fresh basil hiatus for a few months. There’s no better way to welcome it’s arrival at the farmers market than fresh, homemade pesto.
Instead of the usual pasta, I dressed some garlic-sauteed shrimp in the fresh pesto. Nestled on creamy Parmesan polenta and topped with crisp pancetta, this is one of my new favorite recipes. It’s bright and fresh and summery, but still hearty. It’s like a fancy-pants shrimp and grits. I love it!
Continue reading ‘Pesto Shrimp w/Pancetta & Parmesan Polenta’
I’ve always loved a good brunch. But a good brunch isn’t as ubiquitous in Miami as it was in NYC, so instead of getting all dressed up, fighting traffic and paying for cold, buffet-style Eggs Benedict, I’ve resorted to making my own. It’s not as easy, but I can wear my PJ’s and glasses, and there’s no sign stating that shoes are required. In fact, shoes are strongly discouraged at our place. It’s much more fashionable to wear no shoes at all. (Hey, it’s warm here. We can do that!)
Anyway, back to brunch. Is there anything better than a poached egg over polenta? I think not. Southerners have it right with their eggs and grits. This is just a fancy pants version with sauteed onions and fresh breadcrumbs toasted in truffle oil. Yes, you read correctly. Truffled breadcrumbs. My new favorite food.
And this dish is my new favorite brunch. Creamy polenta and drippy yolk contrast perfectly with the slightly sweet sauteed onions, and truffly toasted breadcrumbs. If i had all the money in the world, I would have topped it off with shaved truffles. Sadly, there were no truffles lying around my apartment.
If you’ve never had poached eggs and polenta, you haven’t lived. Make them for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Bonus points for truffled breadcrumbs, but delicious either way.
Continue reading ‘Poached Egg over Polenta with Truffled Breadcrumbs’
Photo Credit: Agustin Sanchez
It’s been 2 months since our big trip out to the Pacific Northwest and I’m still trying to recreate some of the dishes we had out there. One of my favorite meals was at Higgins in Portland. We weren’t really in the mood for a fancy place, so we sat at the bar and ordered from the “bistro” menu. Of course, the Mussels with chorizo and polenta caught our eye right away. So did the house-cured charcuterie plate, the local beers and the shortbread cookie with basil ice cream and nectarine syrup (which reminds me…I have to make this!).
So, back to the mussels. I finally made them over the weekend and they were every bit as magical as I remember them from Portland. The broth was bright and flavorful and spicy from the chorizo, the polenta added a nice heft to the broth, and the mussels were the perfect briny contrast to the chorizo. I ate until I was too full and washed it all down with a cold, bitter beer.
Honestly, this might just be the perfect recipe for mussels. But if mussels aren’t your thing, this “broth” would be perfect for shrimp, lobster or even chunks of fresh fish. In fact, you can even skip the seafood and substitute chicken or omit the extra protein altogether and think of it as a thin chorizo polenta soup. Just delicious!
Yesterday was Mother’s Day. Normally, I would spend the day with my mom, but my parents are on vacation in Argentina. When they first announced their plans, I was envious of all the beautiful leather shoes my mom would buy and the delicious steaks they’d eat. But as it happens, all of the pilots in Argentina went on strike this weekend.
Last week, my parents were in Patagonia, on a glacier, enjoying nature’s beauty and were supposed to catch a plane to Buenos Aires on Saturday for some shopping, eating and sight-seeing. Instead, they ended up on a 40-hour bus ride from the bottom of the earth back to civilization. And that’s how my mom spent her Mother’s Day. I don’t think I envy the beautiful leather shoes anymore. And the steak? Well, I made up for it by buying some thick and meaty short ribs of my own.
While my mom was taking in the beauty of the Argentine countryside, I was braising those short ribs for my Nana. If you ever want to make someone feel special, make them short ribs. They’re fall off the bone, melt in your mouth, barely even have to chew, decadent and delicious. And the leftovers will be finding their way into a nice, crusty baguette tonight. I can barely wait!
Monday nights are always late ones. I always do my weekly shopping after work and usually get home pretty late. That’s why Monday dinners must take 20 minutes or less, start to finish. That usually means we’re having eggs in one form or another. I wish I would have made this a bit sooner as it would have made a lovely Easter brunch dish, but I’m sure you all have leftover eggs from the weekend that need some cooking.
Leftover polenta, roasted asparagus, Manchego cheese and poached eggs are all neatly stacked for this simple meal. I love the play of textures between the coarse polenta, crisp asparagus and rich egg yolk.
While you could certainly use the polenta that comes in a tube if you’re pressed for time, real slow-cooked and coarse polenta is healthier and more interesting if you’ve got the time. I would also encourage you to experiment with the ingredients. I’m a firm believer that everything tastes better with an egg on top, so switch the asparagus for watercress, ham or sausage – whatever’s in your fridge will probably taste amazing topped by an egg.
I’m still in love with my Crisper. I especially love crisping polenta with cheese on it to make “fries” or as an alternative to starchy sides. If I want to crisp my polenta (instead of making the creamy, mashed-potato kind), I use the store-bought version that comes in a tube, which I’ll either slice into rounds like I did in this recipe or cut into smaller fry-like sticks. Both are equally delicious. The fries go best with fried eggs, sandwiches or a big bowl of homemade chili. The rounds are tastiest when topped with yummy goodness. In this case, caramelized onions and sausage with heirloom tomatoes and arugula. The whole thing came together in about 30 minutes. It was cheesy and spicy, sweet and salty and had a great textural contrast.
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