I'm not a huge fan of polenta. I eat it, but I don't love it. I want to like it- I tend to like warm, starchy, comforting things like pasta and toast and risotto and hot cereal. For some reason, polenta (so far) hasn't really become my thing. But...!
I gave polenta another try this week and discovered a HIT! I found this recipe on The Wednesday Chef's blog: Artichoke Tart with Polenta Crust. You make a thick polenta, then form it into a crust shape in a tart dish (I used a springform pan), then layer artichoke hearts and goat cheese on the crust, and pour a tangy, herby yogurt mixture over the top, sprinkle with parmesan cheese, and bake. I made a few changes- I didn't use scallions, added about a cup of shredded zucchini to up the vegetable quotient, and used about 1/3 cup sour cream in place of some of the yogurt.
I highly recommend it! It's a really flexible, healthy, and seemingly fool-proof recipe that looks and tastes fancy! Fresh herbs are key- I used about a tablespoon of fresh rosemary and a large handful of fresh parsley. The polenta is flavorful thanks to the vegetable stock it's cooked in and a generous handful of parmesan cheese in the mixture. The texture is firm and anything but gloopy. The left-overs were also great for breakfast!
I've been offering Luke his choice of fresh (and cooked) veggies. He's excited about tasting them, but really doesn't consume much. He seems to really like gnawing on fresh cucumber. I'm about halfway through my goal of introducing 27 vegetables in his first month of eating!
The updated list:
1. carrot
2. sweet potato
3. avocado
4. kale
5. peas
6. acorn squash
7. celery
8. bell pepper
9. asparagus
10. cucumber
11. brussels sprout
12. arugula
13. zucchini
(14 to go!)
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