If you are looking for a dish that is indulgent and gives you a restaurant like feel, check this out.
A hearty dish that is vegetarian, made with corn meal (polenta) and filled with vegetables, this one checks the health boxes too.
Herbed grilled polenta with ratatouille courtesy of Chef Gautam Kumar
Ingredients
For the Herbed Polenta Steaks
- 100 gm Polenta
- 400 ml Water
- 70 gm Parmesan cheese (grated)
- 30 gm table butter
- 2 tbsp thyme
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Olive oil 20 ml
For the Ratatouille
- 100 gm aubergine, sliced
- 70 gm zucchini yellow, slice
- 70 gm zucchini green,
- 1 red bell pepper
- 50 gm large onion, sliced
- 10 gm garlic peeled
- 49 gm of large fresh tomatoes, cut in wedges
- 1 tsp dried oregano herbs
- 50 ml olive oil
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
For the Basil Pesto
- 30 gm Basil Leaves
- 10 gm Parmesan grates
- 20 ml Olive Oil
- 10 gm peanuts or cashews
- 10 gm Garlic peeled
For the Garnish
- Parsley 5 gm finely chopped
- Basil leaves 4 nos fried
Method
- Boil the water in a pan. Add the polenta to the boiling water and keep whisking in the polenta to avoid lumps.
- Keep stirring polenta for approximately 20 minutes on medium fire till it reaches the thick consistency.
- Remove it from the heat. Add the butter, Parmesan, finely chopped thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Apply a little olive oil in a pan and spread the polenta mixture to it.
- Set it with a spatula or slicer like we make burfi. Let it get cool at room temperature, then refrigerate for 1 hour until it gets set.
- Once the mixture is settled, cut the polenta into the desired shape (I cut the same into a round shape). Heat olive oil in a pan and panfry the polenta steak by turning until golden brown and crispy.
- To make the ratatouille, heat olive oil in a large pot. Add the chopped garlic and stir for a while. Add the onion slices and bell pepper and sauté for a while.
- Add the aubergine and zucchini and stir until they become soft.
- Stir in the tomato puree and chopped tomatoes and dried herbs.
- Add the salt and pepper as per taste.
- Cook the vegetables until they become soft.
- To make the Basil Pesto, blend all the ingredients in a mixy jar to a smooth paste.
- To plate, pour the basil pesto on the plate. Place a generous ladle of the hot ratatouille in a shallow bowl or plate. Top with 1 or 2 crispy polenta steaks. Garnish with a sprig of fresh basil and an extra sprinkle of Parmesan.
