I know that everyone in the world right now is making bread. And that is great, that is awesome, and I am (although I always have been) one of those people making bread. But I was thinking about all those that are not bread eaters, or people that can’t find a freaking bag of flour because the world has gone crazy and all we do now is bake. Well I got you. Polenta friends. Basically all you need for polenta is cornmeal and water and you are good to go. No flour needed.
This polenta situation is a little more then just make polenta and eat. No, it has been cooled, seared, baked, then topped with basically anything you would throw into a burrito because why the heck not. And really, that is what you really should do with polenta because it is like a big crispy, yet soft and creamy corn tortilla (I know right.) Plus you can show pictures to all of your friends of this amazing meal you whipped up and made look all nicey nice and shit. You will say “What bread, no, you should see this polenta!” And then soon after the internet will be ablaze with polenta cakes with beans. Seriously. It’s gonna happen., and think, it could be you who makes it so. Haha!
To the polenta a fixins!
The stuff. Cornemal, water, salt and pepper, cumin, and olive oil. Then fixing of cooked black beans, salsa, some shredded cabbage, 1/2 a big onion, avocado, a lime, and some pickled jalapeño.
Note that you can use all these fixings or none of these. Use what you have!
The polenta. First off, you need to make this at least an hour before you start to bake it because it needs time to set so factor that into your time.
To make polenta, water goes into a big pot and placed on stove to boil. Once water is boiling, slowly pour cornmeal into water while continuously whisking. Once all in, turn heat to medium low and keep whisking, for about 15 minute, until polenta is nice and thick and creamy. Remove from heat, dump in cumin and olive oil, mix and mix until incorporated.
Quickly pour polenta into an oiled baking pan and pop that pan into the fridge for the polenta to set.
In the meantime, slice and dice up onion and toss it around with cabbage, a pinch of salt, and juice of lime.
Once polenta is set, turn it out of pan onto a cutting board. Cut into 4-6 equal sized pieces.
Another note. You can for sure only cook a serving or two and save some for a later time. Just place unbaked polenta in a airtight container and it should be good in fridge for up to a week.
Sear polena. Get a skillet oiled and nice and hot and cook each side for about 5 minutes or until golden crispy. Then either place on a baking sheet or keep in skillet if it’s oven safe and pop into oven to bake for about 1/2 and hour.
Done polenta. DONE!
Now for the fixins. I won’t go to into details, I trust you know what to do.
What are you waiting for? EAT!
-C
Baked Polenta with Black Beans and Fixins
serves 4-6
For the polenta
1 cup cornmeal
4 cups water
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon cumin
FIxins
3 cups cooked black beans (about a 3/4 cup per serving )
3 cups shredded cabbage
1 small or 1/2 a large red onion
A lime
Salsa
An avocado
fresh or pickled jalapeño
And anything else you want (Greens, cheese, yogurt, sour cream…. )
Start off by making polenta. Add water ro a medium sized pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, grab a whisk and the cornmeal and slowly add cornmeal into water while whisking. Once all cornmeal is in, turn heat to low and pretty much continuously whisk for about 15 minutes. Careful to really whisk all around the bottom of the pot so you don’t burn the bottom of pot. Once the polenta is nice and thick and creamy, remove from heat and dump in the cumin, a good pinch of salt and pepper, and oil olive. Mix until completely incorporated then pour mixture into a oiled 9x9 or 10x10 baking pan. Place pan in fridge to let the polenta to set, which should take about an hour but can stay all day if you want.
In the meantime, slice onion up and place into a bowl with shredded cabbage. Add juice of 1/2 the lime and a pinch of salt and toss. Set aside.
Once polenta has set, preheat oven to 400.
Take pan and invert it onto a cutting board then cut into 4-6 equal sized pieces (any size and or shape works). Grab a skillet and drizzle a in a little oil. Get it nice and hot on the stove then sear the polenta, both sides for about 5 minutes or until nice and crispy. Once the polenta is seared, place either on a baking sheet or keep in the skillet (if it is oven safe) and place in oven to bake for about 1/2 or until nice and firm and crispy. Warm up the black beans while you are waiting.
When the polenta is baked to your liking, remove from oven and place on plates. Scoop on black beans, grab a handful of cabbage onion slaw, top with salsa, jalapeños , avocado , and anything else you want.
Eat.
Left over polenta is great to have in the fridge. Just store in an airtight canters for up to a week. Sear it or bake it up whenever you are in the need.