Polenta with Basil Tomato Cream
While entertaining friends during a Southern California heat wave, I created this recipe to minimize time in the kitchen and make use of the wonderful tomatoes my friend Robin supplied from her garden. My dinner guests, which included some picky teenagers, absolutely raved about this one. Purchased polenta makes this dish a snap to prepare. Serve with Rosemary Smoked Chicken Under a Brick for a great taste of Tuscany.
Yield 4 servings
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus a bit extra for coating polenta slices
1/4 cup minced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons dry white wine
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped (divided use)
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons chopped basil (divided use)
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese (divided use)
1 tube prepared polenta, cut into ½ inch slices ( about 10 slices per tube)
| 1 | Pour olive oil into a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté gently until tender. |
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| 2 | Add white wine to skillet and simmer for 2 minutes. Add ½ of the chopped tomato and simmer for 1 minute. |
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| 3 | Add cream to mixture and cook for 1 minute. Add ½ of chopped basil and ½ of the grated parmesan. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat. (Can be made to this point up to 1 hour ahead.) |
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| 4 | Prepare grill. Lightly oil polenta slices with olive oil, then set on grill, turning after 3-4 minutes, then grilling for 3-4 minutes more. Remove from grill to serving platter. |
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| 5 | Reheat sauce, thinning with a bit of cream if necessary, and pour around and between polenta slices. Top with remainder of chopped tomato, chopped basil and grated parmesan. |
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