Polenta with Tomatoes, Basil, and Balsamic Reduction

Found at Natural Grocers: gorgeous leeks; our favorite broth
Found at Whole Foods: local, ripe tomatoes
Found outside: beautiful weather for a lunchtime picnic on the balcony

The result? An easy, simple, delicious dish that pairs perfectly with a chilled glass of Torrontés (from World Market).

Ingredients
2 cups chicken or veggie broth
1 cup coarsely ground cornmeal (polenta)
Olive oil
2 inches of a medium leek (white and/or light green part), chopped
2 medium-large, local, fragrant tomatoes, cut into bite-size chunks and sprinkled with salt (to bring out the flavor as they sit)
12-20* leaves fresh sweet basil, cut crosswise into halves or thirds
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar, reduced (simmer gently in a small pot until volume reduces by half)
A little Manchego or Parmesan cheese, for grating over the top
Freshly ground black pepper

Bring the broth and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a small pot. Meanwhile, set a nonstick pan over medium-low heat and add a glug of olive oil. Saute the leeks for 3 minutes, or until they soften, then add the tomatoes and stir gently to combine. Turn off the heat (the tomatoes will warm through as you cook the polenta).

Adjust the heat under the small pot to medium, uncover, and slowly add the polenta, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Continue to stir, adjusting the heat if necessary to keep the polenta at a gentle simmer, for 3-5 minutes, until desired consistency (I like it when it just starts to pull away from the side of the pan as you stir). Cover and remove from heat.

Turn the heat back on under the pan of tomatoes for a minute if they're not yet as warm as you'd like them. (If they weren't super fragrant to begin with, you may want to cook them a minute more.) Add the basil and adjust salt to taste.

Serve in layers: polenta, then a little grated cheese, then the tomatoes. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper, and drizzle with balsamic reduction before serving.

Serves 2.


*Go with fewer if store-bought, more if home-grown...the supermarket variety is usually older and therefore sharper, whereas home-grown basil rarely overwhelms the dish.

Roasted Kale with Balsamic Reduction

Warning: If you're already addicted to this recipe, this variation is not going to help, although it does allow you to preserve an illusion of variety in your cooking while secretly fulfilling your deep-seated roasted kale obsession.

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, then clearly you haven't had roasted kale before.

This also works well with baby kale, which you might come across at a farmers' market or in your CSA box -- simply adjust the cooking times down a little bit if the leaves are very small.

Ingredients
1 bunch Red Russian or German flat kale (or any sweeter variety)
Olive oil
Salt
Balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice kale crosswise into wide strips, then rinse very thoroughly to remove any grit and dry in a salad spinner. Toss kale with olive oil and spread out on a baking sheet a couple layers deep. Roast for 6-8 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces and how many layers you have on your baking sheet, until the edges of the leaves are lightly toasted on the bottom. Turn the leaves over with tongs, and continue cooking another 3-5 minutes until edges start to crisp.

Meanwhile, heat 2-3 tbsp balsamic vinegar in a small pot over medium-low heat. Simmer gently, adjusting heat as necessary, until volume is reduced by half (and try not to breathe deeply right over the pot...evaporating vinegar is not fun to inhale).

Sprinkle the kale lightly with salt, drizzle with balsamic reduction, and serve.

Pan-Fried Turnips

For some bizarre reason, I used to not particularly like turnips. Now I seem to be addicted. I blame this recipe, and others like it that involve browning the turnips with garlic somewhere nearby.  

Ingredients
2-4 turnips, peeled, halved if large, and sliced into 1/4" pieces
Olive oil
1 large clove garlic, smashed
Splash chicken broth
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
Balsamic vinegar (optional)

Heat a glug of olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat. When hot, add the garlic clove and simmer until lightly golden on both sides. Next, add the turnip slices, spreading them so they're a single layer against the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes, then turn and again spread out. Sprinkle with a very small pinch of salt, cover, and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes, turning halfway through, until at least one side is golden brown.

Add a splash or two of chicken broth and cover the pan again. Turn the heat down to medium-low and let steam for another 4-5 minutes until tender.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar in a small pot over medium heat until it simmers. Turn heat down and simmer gently until the volume is reduced by half, then remove from heat. Try not to take a big deep breath over the pot as you do this (i.e., turn on your exhaust fan if you have one).

When the turnips are golden and tender, sprinkle with a little more salt and some white pepper, and serve drizzled with a little balsamic reduction if desired.



Serves 2.