Griddled Polenta Cakes with Roasted Vegetables

I've been meaning to try Polenta for a long time but have just never gotten around to it. Tonight, it became New Veggie #68 and the latest permanent member of my pantry. Although I've never really been a fan of grits (I need to give them another chance soon), I have always liked all other corn products so today I finally got around to making a lazy version, which turned out great! 

Griddled Polenta Cakes with Roasted Vegetables

Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients (4 Servings):

1. 1 tube of Food Merchants Traditional Italian Polenta
2. Salt and Pepper, to taste
3. Roasted Vegetables (I used Zucchini and Haricot Verts today) with juices
4. Cooking spray, for skillet
5. Hot Sauce, to taste

Directions:

Slice the tube of Polenta into 12 round cakes, each about 0.5 inch thick. Preheat a skillet, or cast iron pan. Once the pan is hot, spray lightly with cooking spray and place each round cake on the hot skillet. As one side gets seared, turn over to sear the other side. This helps create a sort of skin on each cake and preserves the juices inside, leaving the inside soft and creamy, and the outside a little chewy. I served these tonight with my Oven Roasted Zucchini and Garlicky Haricot Verts. I drizzled whatever juices there were in the vegetable pans on top of the polenta and also drizzled with hot sauce. Umm Umm Good!!

My Assessment: I really liked it. Tony was not a fan - he thought it was pretty tasteless. I liked the fact that it retained its softness inside even though I seared the outsides. I liked the blending of the vegetable juices with the corn meal and how it basically imbibed the flavors of the roasted vegetables. It has definitely found a permanent place in my pantry!

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving of Polenta): Calories 105 (Fat Calories 0)
Total Fat 0 g; Carbohydrates 22.5 g; Dietary Fiber 1.5 g; Sugars 1.5 g; Protein 3.0 g

Veggie Fact of the Day

New Veggie #68 - Polenta

Polenta is a staple food of Northern Italy, and is far less famous than its traditional cousin, pasta. It was traditionally considered peasant food because it was made from cheap corn instead of other grains. It was considered a staple in winter months when fresh food was scarce. It is made from ground yellow or white corn that has had the germ removed. It can be used as the main dish, as a side as a grain, and is often even used in desserts because of its smooth texture. It is extremely versatile. It can be baked, boiled, fried or grilled, and has a neutral bland flavor that allows it to be modified to multiple recipes and tastes. 

While traditionally sold as powdered cornmeal, pre-made tubes are a norm in most American supermarkets which makes it easy to slice and bake, broil, fry or grill. Always make sure that the package you buy has limited ingredients - corn meal and water  being the 2 basic ingredients and no added oil. 

Nutritionally, Polenta is low on simple sugars and high on complex carbohydrates, making it a low glycemic index grain. It is rich in vitamin A and C making it a good source of the caroteinoids, lutein and zeaxanthin. According to the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, foods made from milled yellow corn including polenta provide a natural and excellent source of carotenoids. Polenta is high in protein, with each 8-oz serving containing almost 10 g of protein. It is also rich in trace elements such as potassium, iron and zinc, as well as small doses of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. And it is gluten-free!!!