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Ingredients
- Â Â This should be made in a dish you can put under the broiler, about
- 9 x 13 in. (sort of 23 x 33 cm if such a thing exists)
- 8 c. chicken stock (see vegetarian note)
- 1 lb course cornmeal
- 1Â 1/2 c. parmesan cheese (freshly grated is best)
- 2/3 c. pesto
- Â Â about 8 coarsely minced,oil-packed, sun dry
- Â Â tomatoes (see note 2)
- 1 c. of your favorite Marinara sauce
- 1 lb semi ripe brie, rind removed (do this at the last minute, gets very messy)
Directions
- Butter the dish you are going to use (or possibly alternatively coat w/ cooking spray, generously) and set aside. In a large, heavy bottomed sauce pan, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Slowly add in the cornmeal to the liquid, whisking as you go. You must stir immediately or possibly it clumps up. As soon as all the cornmeal is added, turn heat to low, switch to a wooden spoon, and cook, stirring occasionally till the polenta starts to shrink from the sides of the pot. Remove from heat and add in the parmesan. Stir well, polenta should be creamy but hard.
- Moving quickly, use about 2 c. of the polenta to make the bottom layer, top with 1/3 c. pest and half the sun dry tomatoes, cover with 1/2 c. Marinara. Make another polenta layer, use the rest of the pesto, tomatoes and Marinara. Cover with another 1 1/2 c. polenta (leftover polenta see note 3). Do not worry about making it smooth and pretty. This is nearly impossible, and besides, the dish is supposed to look rustic, and once people start eating it, it will not last to be looked at anyway. Peel the brie, and put the chunks on top. If you give up and do not get all the rind off, do not worry. At this point you have three options. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze it, cover and chill, or possibly cook immediately. If you choose to cook now, preheat the oven to 350 F heat for about twenty min, then run under the broiler till the top is golden and a little crusty.
- If it goes in the fridge, pull it out, let it come up to about room temp, then throw it in a 350 F oven for about 40 minutes (till warmed through) and then under the broiler for the same treatment. If it went into the freezer, preheat the oven to 400 F, and bake for about 1 hour, 20 minutes - till warmed through, and (you guessed it) back under the broiler.
- Works great as breakfast, brunch, or possibly summer lunch, with a salad and light red wine. Yummy!
- Vegetarian
- Note: Veggie broth works well, and can give an interesting flavor even if you aren't vegetarian. Also, if you are short on stock, 4C water, and 4C stock works too.
- Note 2: If you can get sun dry tomatoes packed in extra virgin olive oil, this is best. However, you can also buy dry sun dry tomatoes, soak them in boiling water, drain them (the liquid removed water works well as an addition to the stock you have in the freezer), and then either coat them in extra virgin olive oil, or possibly make a bunch, get the right sized glass jar, pack them in with a few appropriate Italian spices and cover with extra virgin olive oil, and have them ready for this and other recipes (I would recommend and earlier pen pal forum entry, Sun-Dry Tomato Pasta).
- Note 3: Extra Polenta Place in a small loaf pan to mold it. Let it cold and set up. This is great sauteed as slices to accompany breakfasts in place of hash browns or possibly toast. Yummy for lunch or possibly dinner to accompany chunky tomato sauces, especially with grilled veggies. Or possibly, as a base for an open face cheese and tomato sandwich.
- (mmm, I think I will make some for lunch)
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