• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Beyond Sweet and Savory

food and life through our lens

  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • Recipe Search
  • About
  • Press
  • Work with Me
  • Cookbook Review
  • San Diego City Guide

polenta

Fresh corn polenta with crispy fried eggs

July 21, 2018 by vytran24

Fresh corn polenta paired with fried eggs is the perfect summer breakfast or lunch. The texture is identical to polenta but tastes so much more flavorful.

fresh corns for fresh corn polenta

Let’s talk about polenta, and not the stuff from the box but polenta made with fresh corn!  I recently discovered this recipe while browsing through Taste and Techniques by Chef Naomi Pomeroy which has become one of my go to cookbooks when I need to look for the best technique to prep or cook a dish.   

fresh corn polenta

Fresh corn polenta is made straight from the cob.  Ears of sweet summer corn are grated using a box grater to capture all the juices and starches to help emulsify the kernels.  Grating fresh corn does require a bit of elbow grease but the result in incredibly delicious. The texture is identical to polenta but tastes so much more flavorful. I added in a bit of mascarpone for a little creaminess but you can also add in any cheeses and herbs you fancy.

fresh corn polenta

To make it a complete meal, a fried egg is served along the fresh corn polenta but you can pair it with tomato confit, roasted veggies, or a protein of choice.  This fresh corn polenta is so good that I have been making it weekly and will make it for the rest of the summer while fresh corns are in season.

fresh corn polenta

If you like polenta, check out this recipe: truffled polenta with mushroom ragu.

If you try this recipe, please let us know how you like it! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #beyondsweetandsavory on Instagram.  We truly appreciate your feedback and incorporate them to continually improve our recipes.

5 from 4 votes
fresh corn polenta
Print
Fresh corn polenta with fried eggs
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 

Fresh corn polenta is made with grated fresh corns.  The texture is identical to polenta but tastes so much more flavorful.  

Course: Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: Vegetarian
Keyword: fresh corn polenta, polenta
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 4 ears of bicolor corns
  • 2 tbsps unsalted butter, room temp
  • 2 tbsps mascarpone
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
  • 4 medium organic eggs
  • 2 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper for serving
  • 2 tbsps chopped chives for serving
Instructions
  1. Put two pieces of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Shuck the corn and remove any silk. 

  2. Snap each ear in half.  Use the largest holes of a box grater, grate the corn to the cob over the parchment to capture all of the kernels and corn juices. Carefully lift the paper and pour everything into a bowl.

  3. Over medium-low heat, in a saucepan, add the butter. Add the corn and its juices, the salt, and the pepper and cook, stirring constantly, about 10 minutes.

  4. Don’t add any liquid unless you really have to, but if the corn sticks and looks very dry, add 1 tablespoon of water. Stir and taste often until no liquid is left and none of the corn tastes raw. 

  5. Turn off the heat and stir in the mascarpone. Divide the corn among four plates. 

  6. Heat nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and heat until the surface is rippling slightly but not smoking. 

  7. Crack the egg into the hot pool of oil. If the oil is hot enough, the white should spread only a little.  Use a spoon to quickly baste the hot oil onto the egg white, being careful to avoid the yolk. Continue spooning the hot oil onto the white until the white is almost set, about 45 seconds.

  8. When the white is opaque, use a spatula to transfer the egg directly on top of the polenta.

  9. Repeat with the remaining eggs, adding more olive oil as necessary, then garnish each plate with chives, additional salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately. 

Filed Under: vegetarian Tagged With: corns, fresh corn polenta, fried eggs, mascarpone, polenta

Rhubarb polenta cake

June 4, 2018 by vytran24

This rhubarb polenta cake has a delicious tartness that shines  against the moist, pleasantly crumbly, and grainy texture of polenta. 

rhubarb polenta cake with sifter

How is it that it’s June already?!!  May was an intense month for me with photography project deadlines, being on our local TV channel (I’ll share more in another post), and traveling to the Bay Area for a friend’s wedding.  Work and traveling left me mentally exhausted so I took some time off to recharge. I’m back and excited to post my first recipe for June, a rhubarb polenta cake that I have been waiting for two years to share.  Yes, you read that right! TWO years!

cut rhubarb polenta cake with sifter

Two years ago I grew rhubarb from seeds and they flourished and survived the blazing summer heat of San Diego.  Thank you garden god! We couldn’t eat them fast enough. They went into many crumbles, pies, cakes, and ice cream.  Then came baby Dillon, a period of adjustment to life with a toddler and a baby (still adjusting by the way), and a hiatus from blogging.  I didn’t want another year to go by and not share this recipe with you.

rhubarb polenta cake

This rhubarb polenta cake is a family favorite.  It’s a simple cake that heralds spring. The tartness of rhubarb shines against the moist, pleasantly crumbly, and grainy texture of polenta.  Vu is all about chocolate cakes but this particular one he loves, especially warm from the oven with vanilla ice cream. It’s such a cliche but we enjoy a lot of our baked goods with vanilla ice cream. If there’s any leftovers, I reheat it the next day for a minute in the oven and enjoy it with a cup of tea.  

a plate with slice of rhubarb polenta cake and cake pan

I do have to warn you that this rhubarb polenta cake is not for the faint of heart.  The tartness of rhubarb does scare some people. If you’re not keen on rhubarb, you can always replace half of the rhubarb with strawberries and it will be as delicious. When I bring it to work, there are two camps–people who grew up with rhubarb and have fond memories of something their grandmas and moms made and will demolish this in seconds.  But the other group doesn’t want to to eat a veggie cake. Rhubarb is a vegetable after all. If you like rhubarb and polenta, this cake is for you!

two plates of rhubarb polenta cake

If you like rhubarb, check out these recipes: strawberry rhubarb mascarpone galette, strawberry rhubarb mascarpone handpies, and orange blossom panna cotta with baked rhubarb,

If you try this recipe, please let us know how you like it! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #beyondsweetandsavory on Instagram.  We truly appreciate your feedback and incorporate them to continually improve our recipes.

5 from 3 votes
rhubarb polenta cake
Print
Rhubarb polenta cake
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
55 mins
Total Time
1 hr 25 mins
 

This rhubarb polenta cake is a simple cake that heralds spring. The tartness of rhubarb shines against the moist, pleasantly crumbly, and grainy texture of polenta.  

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cake, polenta, rhubarb
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
  • 3/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup polenta
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 stick unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 medium egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • zest of one Meyer lemon
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 10 oz rhubarb, cut into batons
  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds
  • 1 tbsp turbinado sugar
  • confectioner's sugar for serving
  • vanilla ice cream for serving
Instructions
  1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, polenta, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.

  2. Trim rhubarb into batons to fit the pan. Cut any thick stems in half along the length.

  3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 

  4. Grease a 9 inch round cake pan or spring form pan.

  5. In a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.

  6. Add the egg, vanilla, and lemon zest and beat until well combined.

  7. Add half the milk and half the flour mixture and beat until well combined, scraping down the sides as needed to incorporate any chunks.

  8. Repeat with the remaining milk and flour mixture.

  9. Scrape the mixture into the prepared cake pan, smooth the top with a palette knife.

  10. Place the rhubarb batons on top.

  11. Place the cake in the oven in the middle rack and bake for 30 minutes.

  12. Remove the cake from the oven, sprinkle the sliced almonds around the edges and turbinado sugar on top.

  13. Bake in the oven for an additional 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

  14. Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes.

  15. Dust the cake with confectioners's sugar and serve immediately with vanilla ice cream.

Recipe Notes

The cake will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.

Filed Under: Baking, Cakes Tagged With: cake, cornmeal, cornmeal cake, polenta, polenta cake, rhubarb, rhubarb cake, rhubarb polenta cake

Truffled polenta with mushroom ragu

December 21, 2015 by vytran24

Mushroom was not a part of my culinary repertoire until we lived in Washington and our friends introduced us to most amazing varieties. Every fall they would trek to Olympic National Forest and hunt for golden chanterelles and lobster mushrooms deep in the forest, turning over salal and fern to look for these treasures on the forest floor. When the mushroom crop was good, we were gifted with pounds of chanterelles. I’m smitten with the chanterelle because of its lovely peach-like fragrant, golden color, and meaty texture. I love turning chanterelles and other mushrooms into a ragu to pair with a bowl of polenta. This dish is one of our favorite fall comfort foods especially for those nights when we want a hearty vegetarian meal.


Truffled polenta with mushroom ragu
½ lb of chanterelle mushrooms (cleaned and cut in big chunks)
½ lb of portobello mushrooms (cleaned and quartered)
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon of butter
2 sprigs of thyme
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 small shallots, chopped
½ cup of white wine
½ cup of creme fraiche
salt and pepper
½ cup of polenta
1 1/2 cups of water
1 cup of milk
¼ cup of Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon of truffle oil

1. To make the mushroom ragu, heat oil oil and butter in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat for 30 seconds.
2. Add the shallots, garlic, and thyme and let everything cook until soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes.
3. Add the mushrooms and coat them in the butter and shallot mixture. Let them cook for about 10 minutes until their juices start release and evaporate.
4. When the mixture starts to dry up a bit, add in the white wine and creme fraiche and cook for another 15 minutes.
5. Season the mushroom ragu with salt and pepper to taste.
6. For the polenta, pour water in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and slowly pour the polenta in the pan while gently whisking the mixture together. Stir the polenta occasionally with a wooden spoon while it’s gently simmering to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
7. Add in the milk and continue cooking the polenta for another 30 minutes or until softened. If the mixture starts to dry out, add two tablespoons of water at a time to soften the mixture.
8. When the polenta is softened, stir in the shaved Parmesan cheese and truffle oil. Season with salt to taste.
9. Divide the polenta between four bowls and top with mushroom ragu. Garnish with chopped parsley and additional Parmesan cheese if you like.

 

Filed Under: Entrees, Italian cuisine, vegetarian Tagged With: chanterelle mushroom, mushroom ragu, Parmesan cheese, polenta, portobello mushroom, truffle oil

Primary Sidebar

Stay Connected

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Recent Posts

  • Gluten free Earl Grey chocolate souffle cake
  • Cardamom poached quince with labneh
  • Hidden rose apple mascarpone tarts
  • Red kuri squash mascarpone walnut tarts
  • Roasted carrots and beets with ghost pepper and lentils
  • Jerusalem artichoke soup with truffle oil and fried sage leaves

Archives

  • February 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • September 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • August 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • September 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • August 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries RSS
  • Comments RSS
  • WordPress.org

Copyright © 2019 · Foodie Pro & The Genesis Framework