Best Southwest Polenta And Vegetables Recipes

SOUTHWESTERN SUNSET STEW WITH SOFT POLENTA (WW CORE)

Steps:

• In large saucepan, soup pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened and slightly colored, about 8 minutes.
• Stirring continuously, add in garlic, flour, cumin, chili powder and coriander and cook an additional minute.
• Stir in broth, tomatoes, squash, potato, corn, and salt. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover partially and simmer 15 minutes.
• Stir in tomato paste, basil, cinnamon and pepper; cover partially and simmer gently until flavors have blended, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
• About 35 minutes before you plan to eat, make soft polenta. Start by bringing 3 1/2 cups of water to boil, adding salt. Mix remaining cup of water to cornmeal to create a slurry. Whisking vigorously, stir the slurry into the water. Using your whisk, keep mixing and stirring until polenta is cooked, about 30 minutes. When it is almost done, rewarm stew, if needed, over low heat.
• Spoon portions of polenta into large, shallow soup bowls, making wide depression in center. Spoon some stew into each depression, garnish with chopped bell pepper and serve right away.
• * A note for WW Core followers: Though flour is not Core, the amount used here is less than a 1/2 point per serving.

SOUTHWESTERN BRAISED RABBIT WITH BLACK BEANS AND FRIED POLENTA

Steps:

• For the black beans: Sauté the onions in some bacon fat or oil in a large pot over medium to medium-high heat until dark golden brown and caramelized, about 15 minutes. Add the red pepper and garlic and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the chili powder and paprika, then add the beans and cover with fresh water by 2 inches. Bring to a simmer and cook until the beans are tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Season with salt and pepper.
• For the braised rabbit: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Sauté the onions in some bacon fat or oil in a large pot over medium to medium-high heat until dark golden brown and caramelized, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika, chili powder, tandoori spice, Cajun spice, peppers, celery and jalapeños and sauté until the spices start to stick, about 5 minutes. Deglaze with the beer and reduce. Add the rabbit and brown very slightly. Cover with water and add the brown sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, transfer to the oven and cook until the rabbit is just tender, about 1 hour.
• For the polenta: Add the butter to a saucepan and heat until hot. Add the onions, peppers, garlic and chili powder and sauté until the vegetables are soft. Add the chicken stock, bring to boil, reduce to a simmer and slowly whisk in the polenta. Simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, adding more stock as necessary to get a fairly thick consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into a shallow pan and let set to cut later for frying.
• When ready to fry, cut into pieces and fry in clarified butter until golden brown.

RUSTIC VEGETABLE AND POLENTA SOUP

Steps:

• In a large heavy saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onions, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion begins to brown, about 6 minutes.
• Add the parsley, thyme, garlic, tomatoes and zucchini, and cook for 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Slowly stir in the polenta and cook until the soup thickens and the vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes.
• Stir in the butter and season with salt and pepper.
• Ladle into soup bowls and serve.

SOUTHWEST POLENTA AND VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Chop onion, mushrooms (if using), zucchini and pepper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat oil in large pan.
• Saute onion and garlic with 1/2 teaspoon salt for about 2 minutes, or until just soft. Add mushrooms, zucchini and red pepper; saute for ~3 minutes.
• Add corn, black beans, tomatoes, thyme, chile powder, cumin, pepper and remaining salt; simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until fresh vegetables are crisp-cooked, not soft. While the vegetables cook, lightly oil the bottom of a casserole dish.
• Slice polenta into 1/2 -inch rounds and arrange across the bottom of the casserole dish. When vegetables are cooked but not soft, spoon across top of polenta.
• Top with grated cheese and bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
• Serve plain or on a bed of wilted spinach.