POLENTA WITH TOMATO BASIL SALSA
Tomato Basil Salsa may also be served with tortilla chips as an appetizer.
POLENTA:
7 cups chicken stock
2 cups coarse-grained yellow cornmeal
4 cloves garlic, peeled & minced
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 pound wild greens
Butter an 11/9 jelly roll pan. In a very large heavy-duty pot,
bring chicken stock to a boil. Add cornmeal in a
steady stream, stirring continuously. Add garlic,
basil, salt & pepper. Reduce heat to medium
and cook stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until mixture comes
to a boil. Simmer 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally (or until
the cornmeal forms a mass and pulls away from the sides of the pan).
Stir in butter & cheese. When butter has melted,
remove Polenta from heat & pour into prepared jelly roll pan.
Set aside to cool.
When cool cut into 3" x 3" squares, then
cut each square into a triangle. Grill both sides until golden &
immediately serve on a bed of wild greens with Tomato Basil Salsa.
TOMATO BASIL SALSA:
1 cup black beans, softened or 1 can (15 oz), rinse & drain
1 large red onion, chopped
2 large firm, ripe, red tomatoes, chopped
1 10-ounce pkg. frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
1 medium red pepper, cored, seeded, & finely diced
1 small jalapeno pepper, cored, seeded, & finely diced
Dash of hot pepper flakes
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt & freshly ground pepper
1 cup fresh basil, cut into strips
Combine all ingredients except basil, in a medium size bowl.
Set aside for 1 hour to allow flavors to meld.
Stir in fresh basil strips before serving.
Serves 6
|
SPICY
ROASTED TOMATO SOUP
Roasting fresh Florida tomatoes first makes all the difference in the
world to the hearty flavor of this most delicious tomato soup. Serve
with "Italian Style Tomato Toasts."
2 lbs. firm, ripe, red tomatoes
3 tablespoon olive oil
1 large red onion, peeled & finely diced
3 large cloves garlic, minced
2 small zucchini, diced
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded & diced
1 10-ounce pkg. frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
1 teaspoon finely minced jalapeno pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
3 cups chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup yogurt
GARNISH:
1 large firm, ripe, red tomato, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt & freshly ground pepper
Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise. Put tomatoes in a foil lined
pan and brush 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over the tomato halves. Place under
the broiler and roast them, turning with tongs as the skin begins
to blacken. This will take about 15 minutes. Remove most of the blackened
skin. Pass the roasted tomatoes through a food mill into a small
bowl. Set aside.
In a 3-quart saucepan warm the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over
medium heat. Add onions and 1 clove of the garlic, sauté until
soft. Add zucchini and bell pepper, and cook 2 to 3 minutes without browning.
Add corn, jalapeno pepper, paprika, thyme, oregano, and the roasted
tomato mixture, and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Add chicken stock and
salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer
partially covered for 45 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine the remaining garlic and yogurt. Set
aside.
For garnish, combine the tomato, olive oil, and vinegar in a bowl.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Serve the soup hot; swirl in the yogurt mixture and top with the tomato
garnish. Serve with Italian Style Tomato Toasts.
Serves 6
|
