leftovers
The boy and I make one mean cooking team.
Just finished my leftovers from the other night: Gorgonzola polenta topped with caramelized onions, sautéed greens dressed sauced up with a bit of garlic & balsamic and sugar (last time I used a little red wine), and candied walnuts on top. The combination of flavors is amazing, *happy sigh*
I love the satisfaction of a good meal.
Guesstimated recipe below.
Ingredients:
2 T butter/oil
2 medium yellow onions, sliced thin
1 c. cornmeal
1 1/2 c. milk
1 1/2-2 c. water (for polenta)
salt & pepper
2-3 oz gorgonzola, or other good blue cheese
3-4 T brown or white sugar
1-2 t butter
1/2 cup walnuts, broken into pieces
(optional) dash of cayenne, dash of ground coriander
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 T olive oil
1 bunch chard or spinach, cleaned and chopped (ribs removed if using chard)
1.5 -2 T balsamic vinegar (or mix of red wine and balsamic)
spoonful of sugar
4 ounces gorgonzola for topping
Carmelized onions: take a couple tablespoons of butter or oil, slice two medium-sized yellow onions thinly, saute until translucent and then reduce heat and continue cooking for about 40 minutes, stirring occassionally, until the onions are a light brown and sweet.
Polenta: just brought the cornmeal and liquid to a boil and then simmered until thick (I like stone ground better than regular, but either will do, stone ground just takes longer to cook - up to 40 minutes!). Cook until thick. Crumble in a few ounces of blue cheese, stir in. Spread about 3/4 inch thick onto lightly buttered plates to set.
Candied walnuts: heat up a small saute pan and put about 3 T of (brown or regular) sugar, add a pat of butter (less than 1 T), a dash of cayenne and a dash of coriander powder if you want. When butter starts to melt, and sugar is warm, add 1/2 C broken walnuts. Stir until sugar melts and walnuts are evenly coated. Spread on foil to cool.
Greens: I used kale, but I think chard or spinach would work better. Saute a couple cloves of finely chopped garlic with a little olive oil, toss in chopped chard/greens. Mix 1-2 T of balsamic vineger (or red wine with a dash of balsamic) with half as much sugar. When the greens start to wilt, add the vinegar/wine mixture and cook until done to your preference (I don't like my greens cooked too much).
To assemble, take a slice of polenta (it might be fun to cut it into shapes with cookie cutters :) ) and place on a plate- if it's cooled off too much, warm it up a little. Arrange some greens on top, then a little pile of carmelized onions, sprinkle with carmelized nuts and good gorgonzola or other blue cheese.
Eat it up!!
Just finished my leftovers from the other night: Gorgonzola polenta topped with caramelized onions, sautéed greens dressed sauced up with a bit of garlic & balsamic and sugar (last time I used a little red wine), and candied walnuts on top. The combination of flavors is amazing, *happy sigh*
I love the satisfaction of a good meal.
Guesstimated recipe below.
Ingredients:
2 T butter/oil
2 medium yellow onions, sliced thin
1 c. cornmeal
1 1/2 c. milk
1 1/2-2 c. water (for polenta)
salt & pepper
2-3 oz gorgonzola, or other good blue cheese
3-4 T brown or white sugar
1-2 t butter
1/2 cup walnuts, broken into pieces
(optional) dash of cayenne, dash of ground coriander
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 T olive oil
1 bunch chard or spinach, cleaned and chopped (ribs removed if using chard)
1.5 -2 T balsamic vinegar (or mix of red wine and balsamic)
spoonful of sugar
4 ounces gorgonzola for topping
Carmelized onions: take a couple tablespoons of butter or oil, slice two medium-sized yellow onions thinly, saute until translucent and then reduce heat and continue cooking for about 40 minutes, stirring occassionally, until the onions are a light brown and sweet.
Polenta: just brought the cornmeal and liquid to a boil and then simmered until thick (I like stone ground better than regular, but either will do, stone ground just takes longer to cook - up to 40 minutes!). Cook until thick. Crumble in a few ounces of blue cheese, stir in. Spread about 3/4 inch thick onto lightly buttered plates to set.
Candied walnuts: heat up a small saute pan and put about 3 T of (brown or regular) sugar, add a pat of butter (less than 1 T), a dash of cayenne and a dash of coriander powder if you want. When butter starts to melt, and sugar is warm, add 1/2 C broken walnuts. Stir until sugar melts and walnuts are evenly coated. Spread on foil to cool.
Greens: I used kale, but I think chard or spinach would work better. Saute a couple cloves of finely chopped garlic with a little olive oil, toss in chopped chard/greens. Mix 1-2 T of balsamic vineger (or red wine with a dash of balsamic) with half as much sugar. When the greens start to wilt, add the vinegar/wine mixture and cook until done to your preference (I don't like my greens cooked too much).
To assemble, take a slice of polenta (it might be fun to cut it into shapes with cookie cutters :) ) and place on a plate- if it's cooled off too much, warm it up a little. Arrange some greens on top, then a little pile of carmelized onions, sprinkle with carmelized nuts and good gorgonzola or other blue cheese.
Eat it up!!