Polenta Cakes (i.e. fritters)
July 14, 2008
Despite my many attempts at creating a flavorful polenta dish like Polenta and Pesto, and other failed experiments at home that I dare not publish here, I haven't quite mastered a polenta recipe that I can truly say I love. However, Mario Batali gave me some inspiration for my premade loaf of garlic and basil polenta sitting my refrigerator. I didn't have the exact ingredients for his anchiove polenta fritters, but the gist of the recipe -- dredging the fritters in flour and egg wash -- won me over. I altered his recipe by creating a vegetarian version, and if you are a vegan, than the Polenta and Pesto recipe is for you (no eggs). Otherwise, this fritter recipe was golden. I may also attempt different versions of the dish, including prosciutto and gorgonzola, or mushroom, gorgonzola, and sour cherries. At any rate, this "fritter" dish is my starter plate.You will need:
- 1 premade "loaf" of polenta (found in the pasta aisle of the grocery store), sliced into rounds
- olive oil for frying
- 1 egg, whisked (set aside in a bowl)
- 1/2 c flour mixed with salt and pepper (set aside on a plate)
For the relish:
- 4 cloves of minced garlic
- 2 roasted bellpeppers, finely chopped (I found these premade in a jar)
- handful of parsley and basil, chopped
- 3 tbsp capers, chopped
- salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 grated Parmesan cheese (or any Italian cheese)
Step One: Preheat the olive oil (about 1 inch deep in a cast iron pan works best) over medium heat.
Step Two: Slice the polenta loaf in small rounds. Take one piece and spread the relish and cheese on top. Create a "sandwich" with the other polenta round.
Step Three: Dust the polenta "sandwich" in flour on all sides, and then dredge in the egg wash. Fry each side until golden brown. Place on a papertowel lined cookie sheet in the oven set, heated to 170 degrees to keep warm while frying.
Step Four: Serve over any simple greens (i.e. arugula, spring mix, etc). Add more relish on top of finished polenta sandwiches, or add pesto as well.
This dish reminds me of crab cakes, but vegetarian. You can dress them up as dinner, or down as a first course/appetizer, and they are still great. I think a lot more can be done with this recipe so I will continue to experiment and post the results if they are worthy.
Gnocchi with Arugula Pesto
July 02, 2008
Getting home late from work doesn't inspire me to cook some elaborate meal for dinner. Sometimes, even I look for shortcuts: frozen vegetables, frozen stuffed pastas, canned beans (aghast!). This penchant for cutting corners turned into a new gnocchi experiment. I've noticed that with my traditional gnocchi recipe, the little potato pillows are sort of mushy. Also, in the summertime, there is nothing worse than turning your oven on or boiling potatoes for 30 minutes. Besides - it's an energy drain. So in an effort to save time, energy, and my house from excruciating temperatures, I used the microwave. This may not be such a big deal for most people - the microwave is like a third appendage for many college students - but I hate the microwave and I almost never use the fancy built-in one in my kitchen. Last night was an exception, however.The common advise for preparing a good gnocchi (according to my many cookbooks) is that baking the potatoes is preferable to boiling them because the potato stays drier and the gnocchi will have a better texture. One recipe even recommended baking the potatoes on a layer of kosher salt (it promotes convection like cooking). At any rate, I was not about to put my oven on to 400 degrees to bake three little potatoes, so I decided to try nuking the potatoes instead. To my great surprise, it worked out nicely and the cooking time was a total of 10 minutes! The only thing I would add about this technique is that you should NOT poke holes in the potatoes, and try adding a moist kitchen towel on top of the potatoes for the last 3 or 4 minutes of nuking time. Below is my altered recipe for nuked potato gnocchi with a delicious arugula pesto. I have to confess that I totally forgot to add the pistachio nuts that were to be the base of this pesto (it is traditionally pine nuts), mea culpa. The pesto still tastes great without the pistachio nuts, but I will be sure to add them next time and blog about it.
"Nuked" Gnocchi
- 3 russet potatoes, nuked in the microwave for 10 minutes
- 1 egg + 1 egg yolk, whisked
- 1/2 tsp. nutmeg (or if using fresh nutmeg, grate 1/2 a nut)
- 1/3 c grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 c flour (plus more for rolling/mixing dough)
Step One: After nuking the potatoes, remove the skins and shove the potatoes through a ricer. Create a well in the pile of potatoes and pour in the egg. Sprinkle around the cheese and nutmeg, as well as 1 cup of flour. Mix the dough by hand with a spatula, and add more flour if needed. Work the dough into a ball, but don't over-knead it. Dust it with flour.
Step Two: Cut the dough ball up into 6 sections. Roll each section out into a snake and cut it into 1 inch pieces to resemble pillows. Set aside the pieces on a floured cookie sheet.
Step Three: Place a handful of gnocchi in boiling water and cook until the pieces float to the top (about 1 minute). Remove with a slotted spoon and repeat until all the gnocchi is cooked.
Step Four: Toss the cooked gnocchi in the Arugula Pesto below. I served this dish over garlic sauteed french green beans. Delicious!
Arugula Pesto:
- 1 c of fresh arugula
- 1 handful of fresh basil
- 1 handful of fresh Italian parsley
- 2/3 c olive oil
- 5 cloves of garlic
- 1/2 c Parmesan
- 1/2 c pistachio nuts (optional)
Step One: In a blender, toss in garlic, and greens. If you have the pistachios, add them now as well. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil from the top until the mixture become frothy and green. Pour in the Parmesan and continue blending. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Step Two: Spoon the mixture onto the gnocchi and toss.
You can freeze any leftover pesto, but it may discolor when you thaw it in the refrigerator. The pesto has a tangy bite to it thanks to the arugula. While I regret not adding the pistachios, the pesto still turned out quite will without them. For texture, leave some nuts whole.
Polenta and Pesto
June 13, 2006
Polenta is a corn based mush that is eaten soft, like cream of wheat, or solid like a corn cake. Italian dishes using polenta vary in texture and flavor, and difficulty. Despite my efforts to find raw polenta, I could only locate a pre-cooked version at the grocery store that appeared in the pasta and rice aisle as a sausage link. 
I chose a plain polenta in order to flavor it however I pleased. The solid loaf of polenta had to be carefully unwrapped and patted dry with a paper towel. I decided to simply cut pieces from the loaf and lightly fry them in olive oil. Alternatively, I could have put the entire loaf into a pan and cooked it down into a mush, flavoring it as I pleased, but I wanted to test an unadulterated version. I treated this dish like the corn gorditas dish, and paired it with other vegetables and sides. I suggest you try it like this first, to see if you fancy the flavor, and then experiment with other cooking methods.
You will need:
- a loaf of pre-cooked polenta
- 3 tbsp of olive oil
- 1 clove of minced garlic
Step one: Unwrap the polenta loaf and slice off 1/2 inch thick rounds. In a large saute pan, heat your olive oil over medium-high heat until it pops (add the garlic and if the oil sizzles, it's ready).
Step Two: Place up to 5 roudns in the bottom of the pan and fry each side until golden brown - about 4 minutes.
Step Three: Serve the cakes over a bed of field greens and top with pesto.
I served these polenta cakes with a side of tomato wedges that I cooked for a few minutes in the same saute pan, and some asparagus. The verdict: well, the polenta is rather flavorless and the pesto really helped pick up the taste, so next time, I will cook the polenta with a little water down to a mush and add some garlic, herbs, and maybe even some leeks to give it texture and flavor. But, the pesto on top wasn't bad.
I chose a plain polenta in order to flavor it however I pleased. The solid loaf of polenta had to be carefully unwrapped and patted dry with a paper towel. I decided to simply cut pieces from the loaf and lightly fry them in olive oil. Alternatively, I could have put the entire loaf into a pan and cooked it down into a mush, flavoring it as I pleased, but I wanted to test an unadulterated version. I treated this dish like the corn gorditas dish, and paired it with other vegetables and sides. I suggest you try it like this first, to see if you fancy the flavor, and then experiment with other cooking methods.
You will need:
- a loaf of pre-cooked polenta
- 3 tbsp of olive oil
- 1 clove of minced garlic
Step one: Unwrap the polenta loaf and slice off 1/2 inch thick rounds. In a large saute pan, heat your olive oil over medium-high heat until it pops (add the garlic and if the oil sizzles, it's ready).
Step Two: Place up to 5 roudns in the bottom of the pan and fry each side until golden brown - about 4 minutes.
Step Three: Serve the cakes over a bed of field greens and top with pesto.
I served these polenta cakes with a side of tomato wedges that I cooked for a few minutes in the same saute pan, and some asparagus. The verdict: well, the polenta is rather flavorless and the pesto really helped pick up the taste, so next time, I will cook the polenta with a little water down to a mush and add some garlic, herbs, and maybe even some leeks to give it texture and flavor. But, the pesto on top wasn't bad.
Artichoke and Lemon Pesto
May 25, 2006
When cooking gnocchi, I decided to use some leftover artichokes I had in the fridge and prepared them by hand to make a non-herb based pesto sauce. I know, however, that many of you would rather use canned artichokes, and I can't blame you. I recommend you try Roland's brand hearts. This Spanish company makes a line of canned and jarred gourmet foods rather cheaply and you can find them at any local grocery store. So now that you have my blessing to use canned artichokes, feel free to use them as the base of this fabulous simple pesto. I imagine that you could also serve this sauce with bow tie or penne pasta as well, but gnocchi would be the best.
You will need:
- 1 can of artichoke hearts, drained;
- 4 cloves of garlic;
- 1/2 c olive oil;
- zest and juice from 1 lemon;
- 1/2 c grated parmesan;
- handful of italian parsley;
- salt & pepper to taste.
- You need a blender or food processor to make this pesto.
Step One: In your food processor, combine the artichokes, garlic, lemon, parmesan, parsley, and blend until well incorporated.
Step Two: While running the blender or food processor, slowly drizzle in the olive oil to build the consistency of this pesto to a semi-liquid state (a colloidal mixture if you will). If you require more liquid, add olive oil. Season with salt & pepper. You can cover this in a tupperware dish and keep for 2-3 weeks.
To serve this, pour the sauce into a pan over medium heat. Let the sauce warm through and then add your gnocchi (it is already cooked and just needs to be heated up). I added toasted pine nuts as a finishing touch, and I also included them in the pesto sauce - it is not necessary to do so, but it gives the pesto that tradiitonal nutty taste that goes very well with the earthy potato based gnocchi.
Labels: artichokes, pesto
Ravioli with Broccoli and Creamy Pesto Sauce
November 05, 2005
This recipe can be a bit complicated so you can take the easy way out and use a jar of your favorite red sauce in lieu of the pesto sauce. This dish can be served up in a hurry, but it retains an elegant presentation. The dish contains raviolis with fresh cream pesto sauce, and a side of steamed broccoli with chile piquin and olive oil.
You will need: a package of your favorite raviolis, 2 full crowns of broccoli, chile piquin, olive oil, pesto sauce (recipe included), cream, tomatoes.
The Pesto Sauce: Pesto sauce is a delicate sauce made from basil, garlic, parsley, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, salt and olive oil. If you make this, you can freeze the leftovers and use it for about 4 or 5 other dishes. This is the raw pesto, no cream yet!
For the Pesto (no cream yet), you will need:
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1/2 c of toasted pine nuts, shelled
- 3/4 c of fresh grated parmesan
- 3 bunches of basil (remove the stems)
- 1/2 c of flat leaf Italian parsley, rinsed and patted dry
- salt to taste
- 1 c of olive oil
Step One: In a blender or food processor, add 4 cloves of garlic, 1/2 cup of toasted pine nuts, 3/4 cup of fresh grated Parmesan. Work the blender or processor to brake these ingredients down finely.
Step Two: Add 3 bunches of chopped basil, 1/2 cup of rough chopped flat leaf parsley. Blend this using the pulse function. You may have to stop the processor or blender and use a rubber spatula to scrape the top and bottom.
Step Three: Put the lid on the blender or processor and take out the small inner lid used to pour in liquids. While blending the ingredients, slowly drizzle in olive oil -- you may not need the entire 1 c depending on the consistency you like. Add salt. The mixture should be a deep green and have a thick consistency; after pouring it into a bowl, there should be about 1/4 inch of olive oil that floats to the top.
You should set aside about 3 tblsp of pesto, and freeze the rest. Tip from my viejo: when freezing this, place it in a plastic tupperware container and place a piece of saranwrap down over the pesto mixture before putting the lid on. This keeps the pesto from turning brown in the freezer.
Broccoli Florrettes
Step One: wash the broccoli crowns and cut off the florrettes. Place in pot with 3/4 cup of water. If you have a steamer (it looks like a collapsing flower with holes) place the florettes on this. Throw on a dash of salt and place a lid over the sauce pot and cook on medium high for 5-7 minutes or until tender. Color should be bright green like a crayon.
Raviolis: I prefer to buy fresh made raviolis from a gourmet grocery and freeze them until I cook them. This dish goes well with mushroom ravioli or cheese raviolis.
Step One: In a large pot, boil water with a dash of salt.
Step Two: Cook your favorite ravioli according to directions - if frozen, they take only 4-6 minutes to cook. Remove from water and place on a plate, cover to keep warm.
Pesto Cream Sauce:
Step One: In the same pan you cooked the raviolis in, after you've removed the raviolis and drained the water, return it to the stove on medium heat. Add 5 tblsp of cream and the 3 tblsp of pesto.
Step Two: Whisk this for a few minutes until it thickens slightly - do not let this boil! This makes just enough sauce to coat 8-10 raviolis.
Serving: Take the broccoli out of the steamed pot, and serve on plates. Crush a red chile piquin over the broccoli and drizzle olive oil (about 2 tblsp worth) over the florrettes. Place the raviolis on each plate and spoon on the cream pesto over each ravioli. Slice tomatoes and place on plate, for complete meal. Again, if the pesto is too difficult, warm up marinara and spoon over raviolis, this tastes just as great (DO NOT use cheap gross brands of jarred sauce like Prego. Instead use Classico, Rao's or other brand that uses real tomatoes).
Serve and enjoy.
