Summer Courgette, Caramelised Onion & Parmesan Polenta Cakes with Roast Cherry Tomatoes and A Creamy Spinach Sauce
Tue, 9 August 2022
Serves 4 Ingredients Polenta 2 mugs polenta 3 mugs milk 2 mugs water 50g butter 100g Parmesan cheese Sea salt and black pepper Few springs of thyme 200g cherry tomatoes Caramelised Onions 60g butter 3 large red onions Baby Courgettes 60g butter 8 baby courgettes (mix of yellow & green)
Sauce 200g baby spinach 300mls cream 1/2 vegetable stock pot
Method Caramelised Onions: Peel and finely slice the red onions. Melt the butter over medium heat, and allow the onions to cook slowly over low heat for 20 minutes until sweet and golden.
Courgettes: Wash the courgettes, leave the skin on, and very thinly slice them into circles. Melt the butter in the pan and allow them to cook low and slow for 10-15 minutes.
Polenta: Over medium heat, using a large, deep saucepan warm the milk and the water until it is gently bubbling. Sprinkle in the polenta and using a whisk continually whisk it for a few minutes until it is all dissolved and there are no big lumps. Allow the corn to cook out and as it does continue to whisk (you do not have to whisk the entire time but do every few minutes). As it cooks slowly, oil an oven tray or pan. Grate the parmesan cheese and sprinkle this in, dot in the butter and add a few springs of thyme. Season well with plenty of salt and pepper.
Stir in the courgettes and red onion. Pour into the oiled pan, smooth over the top and cover with cling film. Allow to chill for a couple of hours or overnight.
When ready to serve, preheat the oven to 180?, drizzle the tomatoes with a little oil and roast in the oven. Put the spinach in a pan and allow it to wilt a little. Add in the cream and the stock pot, season with black pepper and allow to simmer and reduce until a sauce is formed. Cut the polenta mixture into circles and fry not the pan until crispy and golden on the outside and warm on the inside.
To serve, spoon the creamy spinach sauce in the bottom of the bowl, sit the courgette, caramelised onion and parmesan polenta cakes in the centre, top with a dusting of parmesan, a spring of thyme and add the cherry tomatoes to the side.
