Tomato Topped Polenta

And on the very last day of January, I squeeze in my second blog post of the month.  New Year's Resolution - so far, so good. 

Anyway, polenta & tomatoes.  To tell you the truth, this dish isn't exactly my favorite.  BUT that's because I'm not the biggest fan of tomatoes.  In fact, unless it's been stewed beyond recognition into a chili or some type of pasta sauce, I can't say that I really even like tomatoes.  And this recipe features tomatoes, looking very much like tomatoes, front & center.  That said, David thought this dish was delicious (because he's one of those people that actually eats raw tomatoes!).  So considering that it only took about 30 minutes to make & requires minimal ingredients, I'll probably make it again.

Tomato Topped Polenta
Polenta cooking instructions adapted from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman

2 cups water
1/2 cup milk
salt
1 cup polenta (coarse cornmeal not instant)
1 tablespoon butter
black pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 bunch cherry or grape tomatoes, rinsed
freshly grated parmesan

1.  Mix water & milk with a pinch of salt in a large saucepan, & bring to a boil.

2.  When boiling, steadily pour in the polenta, & whisk.  Make sure there are no lumps. 

3.  Turn heat to lowest setting, & cook about 10 minutes, whisking frequently.  The polenta will thicken, & you can tell that it's ready when it's absorbed all the liquid. 

4.  Meanwhile, heat olive oil, garlic, & red pepper flakes in a pan over medium heat.  Before the red pepper flakes start to brown, add the tomatoes & stir to coat.  Sprinkle with salt & pepper.

5.  Cook about 5 minutes or until the tomatoes start to break down.  Remove from heat, & smush any tomatoes that remain whole.

6.  When the polenta is finished, add butter & pepper & stir.

7.  Spoon polenta onto plates.  Top polenta with cooked tomatoes.  Add a drizzle of good olive oil over top along with some freshly grated parmesan.

Makes 2 servings.