Crispy Polenta Cake
A vibrant and delicious appetizer, particularly during a summer barbeque. Corn, tomato, and basil are classic summertime ingredients and pair together beautifully. The texture contrast on the polenta cake between the crisp exterior and the creamy interior is delightful. The real stars of the dish, however, are the goat cheese and balsamic vinegar. They really help balance out the dish and bring all the flavors / textures into harmony. This dish is somewhat labor intensive, but you can prepare a large batch in advance, and fry up a couple of pieces whenever your heart desires.
Active Time: 1 hr 15 min
Total Time: 4 hr
Ingredients
Crispy polenta:
> polenta (1 cup)
> chicken stock, unsalted (6 cups)
> butter, parmigiano reggiano
> salt, pepper, oil
Putting it all together:
> goat cheese
> campari tomatoes (or whatever tomatoes look good)
> basil
> garlic
> balsamic vinegar
> salt, pepper
Instructions
Crispy polenta:
1. Heat chicken stock in a saucepan over high heat, until just before it begins to boil.
2. Slowly add the polenta into the saucepan while constantly stirring. Once the polenta is stirred in, reduce the heat to medium-low. Continue to stir the mixture until it begins to thicken up, or the polenta and water seem mixed in.
3. Cover and simmer on low to medium-low heat for around 30 minutes. Every few minutes, stir the texture, ensuring that the polenta cooks evenly and doesn't stick to the pan.
4. Once the polenta is fully cooked, turn off the heat. Add around 2-3 tbsp of butter and grate an ounce or two of parmigiano reggiano. Stir until fully incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Line a baking sheet pan with plenty of oil or parchment paper, and spread the polenta into the pan. Cool in the fridge for at least an hour or two.
6. Heat some oil in a heavy-bottom skillet over high heat. Cut the solidified polenta into squares. Top with salt and pepper. Fry them in batches for a couple of minutes per side, or until well-browned and crispy. Set aside.
Putting it all together:
1. Using a paring knife, poke a small slit in each of the tomatoes. Arrange on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle some minced garlic. Roast in the oven for 10-12 minutes.
2. Arrange the polenta cakes on a serving platter. Top with tomatoes, goat cheese, basil leaves, and balsamic vinegar. Serve and enjoy!
Notes/Tips:
> You don't need to constantly stir the polenta, but it's important to stir the mixture frequently, at least every couple minutes or so. This helps the polenta cook evenly and prevents it from sticking to the pan. Be careful when stirring -- the polenta may bubble and splatter.
> Feel free to adjust the amount of polenta, keeping in mind the 6:1 ratio of liquid to polenta by volume. This holds really well in the fridge, so consider making a large batch and frying up a couple of polenta cakes whenever you're in the mood.
> Do NOT use salted chicken stock for this dish. It will turn out way too salty due to the high broth to polenta ratio. Or use a mix of salted and unsalted broth.
> Aim for about 1.5cm thick polenta cakes. This achieves the right balance between too thin (heats up too quickly in the pan, which doesn't give enough time to develop a crispy exterior), and too thick (too much soft center). For one cup of polenta, an 8x10 baking sheet would probably work best. It's also important to spread the polenta well, so that the surface is even and browns well when frying. A bench scraper or offset spatula would be very helpful here. In the picture above, I used too large of a baking sheet and spread the polenta a bit too thin, so I didn't quite get as much of a crispy exterior as I was hoping for.
> Use whatever tomatoes look good! I used campari tomatoes on the vine because that's what I saw in the video that inspired this dish, but I'd definitely recommend going without the vine (it looks cool but is annoying to remove).