Best Pan Seared Polenta With Spicy Tomato Basil Sauce Recipes

TOMATO AND GRILLED POLENTA STACKS WITH BASIL SAUCE

Steps:

• Make polenta:
• Whisk together water, cornmeal, and salt in a 1-quart heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over moderate heat, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until very thick, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Spread polenta into a 10- by 5-inch rectangle on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Chill, uncovered, until firm, about 1 hour.
• Prepare grill for cooking.
• Drain tomatoes while polenta is chilling:
• Cut 4 (1/4-inch-thick) crosswise slices from middle of each tomato. Sandwich slices between triple thicknesses of paper towel and press gently to absorb excess moisture.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Grill polenta:
• Cut out 8 (2 1/2-inch) rounds from polenta with cookie cutter. When fire is medium-hot (you can hold your hand 5 inches above rack for 3 to 4 seconds), grill polenta rounds in a grill basket until crusty, about 5 minutes on each side. Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet.
• Assemble and bake stacks:
• Season tomato slices with salt and pepper and sprinkle with cheese. Assemble 4 stacks by placing a tomato slice on top of each of 4 polenta rounds (use a spatula to transfer tomato slices), then top each with another polenta round and tomato slice.
• Bake in middle of oven until hot and cheese is melted, about 15 minutes.
• Make sauce while stacks bake:
• Purée basil, water, garlic, lemon juice, oil, and sugar in a blender, scraping down sides frequently, until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
• Serve stacks with basil sauce.

POLENTA WITH PARMESAN AND TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the polenta, water and salt in a 2-quart baking dish. Stir together, and place in the oven. Bake 50 minutes. Remove from the oven, stir in the butter and return to the oven for 10 more minutes. Remove from the oven and stir again. Return to the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, and stir in the Parmesan, if using. Spoon onto plates, make a depression in the middle and spoon 1/4 heaped cup of simple tomato sauce into the depression. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve.