Adapted from Bon Appetit magazine, December 2004.
This dish is very rich. Though it allows for substitutions, it works best with queso fresco, Basque chorizo, and polenta. It will probably taste better in the summer, too, when garden-fresh tomatoes and corn are more readily available.
Preparation Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes
4 Servings
Ingredients
1 1/3 cups crumbled queso fresco (or feta) cheese, about 6 ounces
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 1/4 cups water
1 cup polenta (coarse yellow cornmeal) or regular cornmeal
8 oz. fresh corn kernels (or frozen corn, thawed)
8 oz. canned creamed corn
1 pound Spanish Basque chorizo sausage, casings removed and pieces cut into the size of corn kernels
1 pound cherry tomatoes, about 3 1/2 cups
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
Procedure
Toss cheese and cilantro in a small bowl and refrigerate.
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Mix 3 1/4 cups water, polenta, corn kernels and creamed corn in a 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and stir the mixture to blend well. Bake until the water is absorbed and the polenta is tender, stirring once, about 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, sauté the chorizo in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until browned, stirring frequently, about 6 minutes. Add the cherry tomatoes to the skillet. Cover, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer until the tomatoes soften, about 6 minutes.
Uncover and crush some of the tomatoes with a fork. Simmer until the tomatoes release their juices and the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes.
Plating
Spoon the polenta onto plates. Top with the chorizo mixture, then the cheese mixture.
Admire it for a moment.
Then --this is the key-- stir it up good before you eat. Enjoy!
Posted by Jerome at February 6, 2005 01:31 AM | TrackBack