Now that I’m home from Italy, I’ve been feeling inspired to look for new dishes with an Italian flair. This recipe comes from Whole Foods Market, one of my favorite online resources for good-tasting, nutritious meals. Since I had plenty of beautiful fresh organic kale in my refrigerator this week, I looked for a recipe using this as a main ingredient.
I was also attracted to this recipe because of the polenta. I remember my mother making polenta and serving it with dishes that had a red sauce. The following morning, she’d take the leftover polenta and create a special breakfast for us, grilling the polenta as you’d grill french toast and then serving it with butter and syrup. It was a real treat in our home!
I hope you’ll give this recipe a try–when served without the parmesan cheese, it is a great vegan dish. It’s also perfect for anyone with a gluten intolerance. Bon apetito!!
KALE, MUSHROOM AND TOMATO SAUTE WITH POLENTA
Serves 4
If you’re a mushroom lover, use different varieties of mushrooms, like shiitake, portobello, or cremini in this rich, savory saute. For extra flavor, try using olive oil from the jar of tomatoes in lieu of regular olive oil.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 pound sliced button mushrooms
Salt and pepper to taste
8 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 bunch kale (about 3/4 pound), stemmed and roughly chopped
1 (18-ounce) roll prepared polenta, cut into 8 rounds (or make your own polenta using coarsely ground organic cornmeal–see recipe below)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Preparation:
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Stir in kale and 1/4 cup water. Cover, reduce heat to medium low and cook until kale begins to wilt, about 2 minutes. Toss well, season with salt and pepper, cover and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes more. Cover and set aside.
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Arrange polenta in skillet in a single layer (working in batches, if needed) and cook, flipping once, until golden brown on both sides, 5 to 6 minutes total. Transfer polenta to a paper towel-lined plate as done.
Arrange polenta on plates, spoon kale and mushroom mixture over the top, garnish with cheese and serve.
POLENTA
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 pound or slightly more of coarsely ground corn meal (you want corn meal the consistency of fine to medium-grained sand, not flour, and if possible stone-ground)
2 quarts boiling water (have more handy)
A heaping teaspoon of salt
Directions:
Set the water on the fire in a wide bottomed pot and add the salt. When it comes to a boil, add the corn meal in a very slow stream (you don’t want the pot to stop boiling), stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to keep lumps from forming. Continue stirring, in the same direction, as the mush thickens, for about a half-hour (the longer you stir the better the polenta will be; the finished polenta should have the consistency of firm mashed potatoes), adding boiling water as necessary. The polenta is done when it peels easily off the sides of the pot.
