Ingredients
- Serves 4
- 12 cherry vine tomatoes (if possible get them still attached to the vine)
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- Pinch sea salt flakes
- Freshly ground pepper
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- Polenta
- 375ml water
- 100g polenta
- 25g unsalted butter
- 30g parmesan cheese, freshly grated and more for serving
- Smashed basil
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- Pinch salt
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
WET POLENTA, ROASTED VINE TOMATOES, SMASHED BASIL
Method
- Preheat oven to 200C Place the tomatoes onto a suitable sized oven dish, scatter over the garlic slivers and thyme
- Drizzle over the oil and season lightly with salt and freshly ground pepper
- Roast in the hot oven until the tomatoes blister and just start to split (8-10 minutes)
- Remove immediately from the oven and set aside
- To make the polenta, bring the water to a simmer, add a generous pinch of salt, whisk in the polenta and cook, stirring, on a low heat for 10 minutes or until the polenta comes away from the sides of the pan
- Add the butter and cheese and stir vigorously
- In between stirring the polenta smash the basil by adding a pinch of salt and mashing it in a mortar and pestle until you get a coarse paste, stir in 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Set aside
- To serve - place a generous spoonful of the polenta onto a warm plate, place 4 roasted cherry tomatoes on top and any delicious juices, drizzle over the smashed basil and finish with plenty of freshly grated parmesan cheese
Comments
This dish works well throughout the year as you can simply change the sweet tomatoes for mushrooms, wilted greens or even serve alongside a hearty stew.
Thanks to KAKANUI PRODUCE (tomatoes) and to JANEFIELD PAEONIES AND HYDROPONICS (basil)
for providing the ingredients used in the demonstration.
If you would like to download a printable version of this recipe, please click here
