Ingredients:
For the Polenta:
- Cornmeal: 200 gr
- Water: 600ml
For the sauce:
- Carrot: 1 pc
- Onion: 1 pc
- Garlic: 4 cloves
- Mushrooms: 100gr
- Cellery: 50gr
- Zucchini: half of a medium sized pc
- Red bell pepper: half of a medium sized pc
Topping:
- Chilli tomato sauce
- Eggplant: 4 thin circular slices
- Cherry tomatoes: 1 pc
Preparation:
I decided to experiment a bit this time, but not too much because during a busy weekday none has time for that. I wanted to cook something warm and filling because when cold strikes I just long for a “wintery” dish.
Preparing the sauce: Cut all ingredients upfront. I cut the onions in a medium size because I want them to be quite visible. I perform the same with the mushrooms, garlic, and cellery. I cut the carrot in long 4-edged shaped thin stripes using the pealer. I cut the zucchini and the bell pepper in a stripe shape too. In a non sticking pan I warm up a bit of water with spices (of your choice) and add the veggies one by one, starting from onion and garlic and the order of the rest does not matter too much. I cook them in a low heat for about 13 minutes, stiring from time to time and closing the pan with a cover so that the taste of the ingredients is preserved.
While the sauce is cooking, I put to boil the water, add a pinch of salt when it’s half cooked and some spices. When the water is about to boil I pour the cornmeal, not right away but little by little while stiring the content. I stir until I get a good polenta consistency.
At the end, I mix the sauce wit the polenta and lay it in a baking pan. The content now is ready to be baked in 200 degree Celcius for less than 20 minutes, until the dish takes a nice color.
I prefer to cut it after it is cooked and cover it with a cleaned cloth for 2-3 minutes.
Tips:
1. A trick to not have a sticking dish, is to take a kitchen tissue, dye it with a bit of coconut oil and dye the baking pan with this tissue.
2. For a better taste, use coconut water instead of regular water when cooking the sauce.
3. Experiment with other veggies too. Consider adding spinach, leeks, spring onions.
4. Experiment with your spices too, they are a golden trick to a better tasting dish.
5. Eat slowly and fully enjoy your food. Why? Find the golden reasons in Chew Your Fat .
Ready-steady-go… Guten Appetit!
by 