Herb and Vegetable Polenta

This delicious dish is from my first book, The Cook’s Garden. It makes a fabulous picnic, luncheon or supper dish.

 

Inroduction

About this Recipe

By: Sheridan Rogers

This delicious dish is from my first book, The Cook’s Garden. It makes a fabulous luncheon or supper dish.

 

Ingredients

Serves 6

  • polenta, coarse yellow 150g (5oz)
  • plain flour 30g (1oz)
  • baking powder 1 teaspoon
  • bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) 1/2 teaspoon
  • sharp cheddar cheese 60g (2oz), grated
  • parmesan cheese 30g (1oz), grated
  • butter 185g (6oz)
  • leeks 2, (or 1 large onion, chopped)
  • garlic 2 cloves, crushed
  • button mushrooms 200g (6.5oz), sliced
  • parlsey 1 small bunch, chopped
  • basil 1/2 bunch, chopped
  • chives 1/2 bunch, snipped
  • red chilli 1 small, finely chopped
  • red capsicum 1, chopped and seeded
  • egg 1, lightly beaten
  • buttermilk 250ml, mixed with 125ml water

Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas 6).
Combine dry ingredients with cheese in a bowl. In a frying pan, melt 90 g (3 oz) butter and fry leeks (or onion) and garlic until translucent. Add mushrooms and cook until softened. Add chopped herbs, cook one minute, set aside.
Process chilli, capsicum, egg and buttermilk in a food processor until fairly smooth. Add to dry ingredients with vegetables and combine well.
Melt remaining butter in a heavy 23-cm (9-in) non-stick ovenproof frying pan or flameproof dish.
Pour half into polenta mixture and mix well. Heat remaining butter until foaming, spoon polenta mixture into pan and cook over low heat until mixture bubbles. Place in oven and bake for 35–45 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Rest in pan for 2 minutes, then turn out
on a serving plate.

Serves 6 – 8.