Special Occasions Recipes - Grilled Vegetables with Creamed Polenta Recipe

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 red pepper, cored, deseeded and quartered

• 4 baby aubergines, quartered

• 4 baby courgettes, quartered

• 8 baby sweet corn

• 8 baby leeks

• 1 red onion, cut into wedges, root end left intact

• 8 baby tomatoes

• 600 ml/1 pint water

• 150 g/5 oz instant polenta flour

• 50 g/2 oz butter, plus extra for greasing

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

• 1 bunch of oregano, chopped

• 175 g/6 oz rind less soft goats' cheese

• sea salt and pepper                            

• salad, to serve (optional)

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Method:

1. Heat a griddle pan or nonstick frying pan and griddle all the vegetables for 2-4 minutes on each side. Alternatively, grill them under a medium hot grill. Keep warm in a large dish.

2. Heat the water to a gentle boil, pour in the polenta and beat well for 1-2 minutes until it becomes a smooth paste.

3. Reduce the heat and cook the polenta for 6-8 minutes until it thickens, stirring constantly so that it does not catch on the bottom of the pan.

4. Add the butter, olive oil and oregano, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix well. The polenta should be the consistency of soft mashed potatoes.

5. Grease a large serving dish with butter, spread the polenta over the bottom of it and arrange the griddled vegetables on top.

6. Crumble the goats' cheese over the top, drizzle with olive oil and place under a hot grill until the cheese has melted. Serve with a leafy salad, if liked.

Note: Polenta is a cornmeal porridge traditionally eaten in northern Italy. It is very versatile and can be used for many different dishes.