Date: Mon, 20 Jun 94 15:09:02 CDT
From: maoh@phyast.nhn.uoknor.edu (Maureen O'Halloran)
This is from Cooking Light magazine (Jan/Feb 1994).
_Winter Polenta with Pumpkin and Kale_
water
4 cup loosely packed chopped kale (or spinach)
1 cup chopped onion
1 Tablespoon minced fresh jalapeno
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 (14.5 oz) can (no salt added) tomatoes, undrained and chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 (16 oz) can mashed cooked pumpkin
Basic polenta (see below)
cooking spray
1 cup (4 oz) shredded no-fat swiss cheese (totally optional)
Heat a large Dutch oven, non-stick or sprayed with Pam. Add
onions and push around to brown a little. Add a few Tbsp
water and stir to unstick from bottom. Add Chopped Kale or
spinach and stir about 5 minutes until all is wilted and onions
are translucent. Add more water as needed to prevent
burning.
Add jalapeno, cumin, cinnamon and garlic, saute 3 minutes.
Stir in mushrooms, cover and cook 5 minutes, Stir in
tomatoes, cover and cook 5 minutes, Add salt, pepper and
mashed pumpkin and stir well. Cook uncovered 3 minutes,
stirring well. Remove from heat.
Prepare basic Polenta, spread half in 11x7x2 inch baking dish
coated with non-stick spray. Spread pumpkin mixture evenly
over polenta. Sprinkle with Swiss cheese (optional) Spread
remaining polenta evenly over. Bake at 375 F for 30 minutes
or until lightly browned.. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Yeild 6 servings.
Basic Polenta:
1 1/4 cups cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups water
1. Place cornmeal and salt in large saucepan. Gradually add
water, stirring constantly with a wire wisk. Bring to a boil,
reduce heat to medium, cook uncovered 15 minutes, stirring
frequently. Yeild 4 cups.
2. Microwave method: Place cornmeal and salt in a 3 quart
microwave cassarole. Gradually add water, stirring until
blended. Cover, microwave on HIGH 12 minutes, stirring every
3 minutes. Let stand covered 5 minutes.
***
I made this two times, the first time I couldn't find kale in
the particular grocery store that I went to so I used spinach.
I used the microwave method for polenta since I tend to
scorch things and it worked great. The first 2 times I stirred
I wasn't sure it was going to thicken by the time it finished it
was perfect and it sure is easy to just set the timer for 3
minutes and stir when it beeps. The non-fat cheese is totally
optional, in fact I shredded it then forgot to put it in the first
time . In is fine without cheese, but the cheese tasted good
on the microwaved leftovers too. (The only edible non-fat
cheese I've found is called Lifetime brand and they don't sell
it in every store here). The effect is rather like lasagna but
different.
kwvegan vegan