Millet And Red Pepper Polenta Recipes

MILLET AND RED PEPPER POLENTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel, seed and dice roasted peppers. Season with a little salt if desired and set aside.
• Heat a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add millet. Toast, stirring or shaking the pan, until grains begin to pop and smell toasty, sort of like popcorn. Add water or stock and salt.
• Transfer pan to the preheated oven. Set timer for 25 minutes. When it goes off, stir in peppers. Bake for another 20 minutes. Stir in butter and if there is any liquid remaining in the pan, bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, until millet is thick and no more water or stock is visible in the pan. Remove from oven and stir in Parmesan. Serve right away or allow to cool in the pan, or spread in a small sheet pan, baking dish, or cake pan if desired. When it is solid, cut into squares, slices or rounds, which you can grill, fry, or layer in a gratin.

POLENTA WITH PEPPERS

Steps:

• Whisk together oil, vinegars and salt and pepper. Add peppers and shallot. Set aside to marinate.
• Cook polenta according to package directions and stir in the cream and butter at the end. Season with salt and pepper. Immediately pour onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and spread evenly. Set aside to set and cool.
• Cut rounds of polenta with a cookie cutter. Top with peppers and a basil leaf.

ROASTED RED PEPPER POLENTA

Steps:

• To fire-roast the red peppers, place them over a high flame on a stove-top burner and roast, turning occasionally, until the skins turn black on all sides. Place the peppers in a medium bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to steam for 10 minutes. Peel away the blackened skins from the peppers. Cut away the stems and then seed, core and coarsely chop the peppers. Place them in a food processor and puree until smooth; reserve to the side.
• In a heavy-bottom medium pot, bring 8 cups water, thesalt and the roasted red pepper puree to a boil. Add the stone-ground cornmeal in a gentle stream, whisking or stirring vigorously in the same direction as you pour it in. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring continuously for 2 to 3 minutes. Cook the polenta for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring every few minutes and scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent it from sticking. When the polenta is thick, glossy and pulling away from the side of the pan, add the Pecorino Romano and butter, stirring quickly to incorporate. Pour the polenta into a medium serving dish and serve immediately.

SOFT POLENTA WITH ROASTED RED PEPPERS

Steps:

• In a large heavy saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and saute, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more, until its aroma is released.
• Add the chicken stock, water, and salt to the pan and increase the heat to medium high. When the liquid is simmering, gradually sprinkle the polenta over in a very slow, thin stream, whisking constantly in the same direction until all the grains are incorporated and no lumps remain. Reduce the heat to very low. Switch to a wooden paddle and stir thoroughly every few minutes for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan and the grains of polenta have softened. Stir in the butter, thyme, pepper, and grated Manchego and remove from the heat. Spoon some polenta into each of 6 warmed shallow soup bowls and top with some of the roasted peppers and chopped cilantro.

POLENTA-STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high. Cook onion, stirring often, until lightly browned, 5 minutes. Add 3 cups water, rosemary, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; bring to a boil.
• Whisking constantly, gradually add cornmeal, whisking until incorporated before adding more. Reduce to a simmer; cook, whisking frequently, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in corn, remaining 3 tablespoons butter, and half the cheese until melted.
• Place peppers in a large baking dish; fill with polenta mixture. Cool to room temperature. Cover tightly with foil; refrigerate until ready to use, up to 2 days.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pour 1/2 cup water in bottom of baking dish. Cover with foil; bake 30 minutes. Remove foil; sprinkle with remaining cheese.
• Return to oven; bake, uncovered, until cheese is golden and peppers are very tender, about 30 minutes more. Serve immediately.

MILLET POLENTA WITH TOMATO SAUCE, EGGPLANT AND CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Roast the eggplant. Cut it into 3/4-inch cubes and toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and brush the foil with olive oil. Lay the eggplant on the foil in a single layer. Roast in the hot oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cubes are soft when pierced with a knife and browned in spots. They'll look dry on the surface but when you pierce them with a knife you should be able to see that the flesh is soft. Remove from the oven and carefully fold the foil up over the eggplant slices (be careful not to burn yourself!). Crimp the edges of the foil so that the eggplant is hermetically sealed in a big foil packet, and allow the eggplant to steam for another 15 to 20 minutes. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees.
• Begin the polenta. Heat a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add the millet. Toast, stirring or shaking the pan, until the grains begin to pop and smell sort of like popcorn. Add the water or stock and salt (up to 1 teaspoon, to taste). Transfer the pan to the hot oven. After 25 minutes give the millet a stir and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes. There should still be some liquid in the pan. Stir in the butter and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the millet is thick and no more water or stock is visible in the pan.
• While the millet is in the oven make the tomato sauce. Pulse the tomatoes in a food processor so that you have a nice puréed texture. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a wide nonstick skillet or saucepan and add the garlic and thyme. As soon as it begins to smell fragrant (1/2 to 1 minute), add the tomatoes, sugar, eggplant, and salt, stir and turn up the heat. When the tomatoes begin to bubble, turn the heat to medium-low and cook, partially covered and stirring often, until thick and fragrant, about 20 minutes. Stir in the chickpeas and heat through. Remove from the heat, taste and adjust seasonings.
• When the polenta is done, remove it from the oven and if desired, stir in the Parmesan. Spoon onto plates or wide bowls, make a depression in the middle with the back of your spoon and top with the tomato, eggplant and chickpeas mixture. Garnish with more fresh thyme and Parmesan, and a drizzle of olive oil if desired, and serve.

MILLET POLENTA WITH MUSHROOMS AND BROCCOLI OR BROCCOLI RAAB

Steps:

• Place the dried mushrooms in a pyrex measuring cup or a bowl and pour on 1 cup boiling water. Let soak 20 minutes, while you prepare the other ingredients. Place a strainer over a bowl, line it with cheesecloth or paper towels, and drain the dried mushrooms. Squeeze the mushrooms over the strainer then rinse, away from the bowl with the soaking liquid, until they are free of sand. Squeeze dry over the strainer and set aside. If very large, chop coarsely. Set aside the broth.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. While the dried mushrooms are soaking, start the millet polenta. Heat a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add the millet. Toast, stirring or shaking the pan, until the grains begin to pop and smell sort of like popcorn. Add the water or stock and salt (up to 1 teaspoon, to taste). Transfer the pan to the hot oven. After 25 minutes, give the millet a stir and then bake for another 20 to 25 minutes. There should still be some liquid in the pan. Stir in the butter and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the millet is thick and no more water or stock is visible in the pan.
• While the millet is in the oven cook the mushrooms. Heat a large, heavy frying pan over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. When the oil is hot (you can feel the heat when you hold your hand above the pan), add the shiitakes and the fresh mushrooms. Don't stir for 30 seconds to a minute, then cook, stirring or tossing in the pan, for a few minutes, until they begin to soften and sweat. Add the remaining oil, turn the heat to medium, and add the shallots, garlic, thyme and rosemary. Stir together, add salt to taste and freshly ground pepper to taste, and cook, stirring often, for another couple of minutes, until the shallots and garlic have softened and the mixture is fragrant. Add the chopped dried mushrooms, the soy sauce and wine and cook, stirring often and scraping the bottom of the pan, until the wine has evaporated. Add the broth from the dried mushrooms, turn up the heat and cook, stirring, until it has reduced by about a third. The mushrooms should be moist. Stir in the parsley, taste, adjust seasonings, and remove from the heat.
• When the polenta is done, remove it from the oven and if desired, stir in the Parmesan. Spoon onto plates or wide bowls, make a depression in the middle with the back of your spoon and top with the mushrooms. Arrange steamed broccoli or broccoli rabe next to the mushrooms or on top, and serve.