Soft Polenta With Roasted Herbs

Sharon123's Note:

Comfort food! Roasting the herbs lends them an even fuller flavor, giving ghe dish it's special savor! Adapted from Caprial's Cafe Favorites cookbook.

• Total Time: 20 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves , chopped
• 2 shallots , chopped
• 2 cups vegetable stock (or chicken)
• 2⁄3; cup finely ground polenta (cornmeal)
• 1 ounce soft mild goat cheese
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• salt and pepper
• 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh herb (such as basil, thyme, rosemary)

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over high heat until very hot. Add the garlic and shallots and saute until they begin to give off their aroma, 2-3 minutes.
2. Add the stock and heat just to a boil. Gradually whisk in the polenta to avoid lumps from forming. Cook until the polenta is thick, 3-4 minutes. Add the cheese and cream and mix well. Season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat. Set aside.
3. In a small saute pan over high heat, cook the butter until golden brown, 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the herbs and immediately remove the pan from the heat. Stir the pan roasted herbs into the polenta and serve right away. Enjoy!

Reviews

[IngridH]

Yum! I loved the nice tang that the goat cheese gives this dish- not overpowering, but you can definitely taste it. I used vegetable stock, cilantro, and mint; to mirror the herbs in the meat dish I was serving. Thanks for posting a great alternative to rice or potatoes!

[MarraMamba]

This was fabulous. I served it at our thanksgiving instead of mashed potatoes. The fresh herbs roasted really do make a difference.