POLENTA BAKED WITH TOMATOES, CORN AND BASIL

POLENTA BAKED WITH TOMATOES, CORN AND BASIL image

Yield 10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 19

Ingredients

Polenta (see recipe below)
Fresh tomato sauce
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 ears corn, shaved (about 21/2 cups kernels)
salt
3/4 pound tomatoes, cored and seeded
1 tablespoon olive oil
pepper
1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 or 2 jalapeno chilies, seeded and finely chopped
2 ounces Parmesan, grated (about 2/3 cup)
Polenta:
6 cups water
11/2 teaspoons salt
11/2 cups coarse cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon pepper
cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Steps:

Make the polenta: Lightly oil a 9 by 13-inch pan and set aside. Bring water to a rapid boil in a large saucepan. Add salt, then vigorously whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce the heat and cook at a low boil for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the grains have opened up and the polenta is smooth. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the pepper, a few pinches of cayenne, the butter and the cheese. Pour the hot polenta into the baking dish and set aside to cool. Cut into 12 squares, then cut each square into two triangles. Make about 2 cups of fresh tomato sauce. Assembly: Make the polenta, and while it is cooking, make the sauce. Heat the butter in a large skillet and add the corn. Saute over medium heat for 10 minutes, until the corn is tender; season with 1/4 teaspoon salt. While the corn is cooking, cut the tomatoes into large pieces - you should have about 11/2 cups. Marinate the tomatoes in the olive oil with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few pinches of pepper. Cool the corn and toss with the tomatoes, the basil and the chilies. Add salt and pepper to taste. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Pour the sauce into the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Arrange the polenta triangles upright in rows across the width of the dish, overlapping the triangles slightly. Use all of the polenta. Spoon the vegetables into the spaces between the polenta trianges, separating the rows as you go. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover and bake for 25 minutes, then uncover and bake for 10 minutes more, until the gratin in bubbly. Sprinkle with a little fresh basil for garnish, if desired.