Anna Getty's Easy Green Organic - Anna Getty [21]
5. Remove the cakes from the pan and place them on a plate lined with a recycled brown paper bag. Serve hot, drizzled with the Cilantro Yogurt Sauce. Or put the yogurt sauce in a bowl for dipping. Top the cakes with grated carrot and zucchini.
fried polenta with sautéed wild mushrooms and chipotle cream sauce
SERVES 6
A popular dish in Italy, polenta is made from coarsely or finely ground cornmeal. Although it was once thought of as a peasant food, it is now served in fine Italian restaurants all over the world. After it is cooked and cooled, polenta can be cut into attractive shapes and then pan-fried. Here it is cut into rectangular pieces. My mother invented this particular recipe, and it’s a winner. The warm spiciness of the chipotle sauce, although not Italian, is a perfect match for the mushroom and polenta duo. Honestly, my family members have been known to lick their plates clean when my mom makes this. (Okay, I do, too.) Thank you, Mom.
2
cups water or chicken broth
2
tablespoons unsalted butter Salt
1/2
cup quick-cooking polenta
1/4
cup finely grated Pecorino or Parmesan cheese
12
ounces mixed mushrooms, such as baby bella and shiitake, stemmed and thinly sliced
1
tablespoon olive oil, plus additional for frying
chipotle cream sauce
11/2
chipotle peppers in adobo sauce with 11/2 teaspoons of the sauce
1
cup heavy cream
1
teaspoon tamari or soy sauce
Salt to taste
6
fresh basil leaves for garnish
1. Bring the water, 1 tablespoon of the butter, and ½ teaspoon salt to a boil in a large saucepan. Gradually whisk in the polenta and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the polenta thickens. Turn off the heat and stir in the cheese. Pour the polenta into a greased 9-by-9-inch baking dish. Cover and let stand for about 15 minutes. When the polenta has cooled, cut into 6 rectangular pieces.
2. Meanwhile, cook the mushrooms. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter with the tablespoon of oil. Add the mushrooms and salt to taste and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until wilted. Add additional salt to taste, turn off the heat, and set aside.
3. To make the sauce, put the chipotles, the 1½ teaspoons adobo sauce and cream in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Simmer until the sauce has been reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to blender. Add the tamari, stir, and season with salt. Set aside.
4. Fry the polenta in two batches, about 3 pieces at a time. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add just enough oil to barely coat the bottom of the pan. Add the polenta and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until lightly browned.
5. Divide the polenta among six plates and top each piece with mushrooms. Drizzle with chipotle cream and garnish with basil.
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COOK’S NOTE: If you have more than six people to serve, you can cut the polenta into 16 bite-size squares and top with a much smaller amount of the mushrooms and Chipotle Cream Sauce.
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green tip
Save all those glass jars with lids. They make great food storage containers.
bacon and sage leaf–wrapped scallops
MAKES 8 SCALLOPS
This starter dish has been a hit with virtually everyone who has tried it. Need I mention that the flavor and texture of organic uncured bacon is immense? There is something so perfect about this dish when served at the beginning of a holiday meal; maybe it’s the sage. One of your most sustainable choices for the scallops will be wild-caught sea scallops, also known as giant scallops, from the northeastern United States or Canada.
8
large scallops
8
large fresh sage leaves
8
slices uncured bacon
1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the broiler.
2. Wrap each scallop with one sage leaf and then one strip of raw bacon. Secure with a toothpick or small skewer.