TOMATO AND GRILLED POLENTA STACKS WITH BASIL SAUCE
Steps:
- Make polenta:
- Whisk together water, cornmeal, and salt in a 1-quart heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over moderate heat, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until very thick, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Spread polenta into a 10- by 5-inch rectangle on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Chill, uncovered, until firm, about 1 hour.
- Prepare grill for cooking.
- Drain tomatoes while polenta is chilling:
- Cut 4 (1/4-inch-thick) crosswise slices from middle of each tomato. Sandwich slices between triple thicknesses of paper towel and press gently to absorb excess moisture.
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Grill polenta:
- Cut out 8 (2 1/2-inch) rounds from polenta with cookie cutter. When fire is medium-hot (you can hold your hand 5 inches above rack for 3 to 4 seconds), grill polenta rounds in a grill basket until crusty, about 5 minutes on each side. Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet.
- Assemble and bake stacks:
- Season tomato slices with salt and pepper and sprinkle with cheese. Assemble 4 stacks by placing a tomato slice on top of each of 4 polenta rounds (use a spatula to transfer tomato slices), then top each with another polenta round and tomato slice.
- Bake in middle of oven until hot and cheese is melted, about 15 minutes.
- Make sauce while stacks bake:
- Purée basil, water, garlic, lemon juice, oil, and sugar in a blender, scraping down sides frequently, until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve stacks with basil sauce.
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Rickey PARKER
parker.rickey@gmail.comI'll be making this dish again soon!
Careedan Christopher
c81@yahoo.comThis dish was okay, but I've had better.
Thokozani Ndlovu
ndlovu@hotmail.frI'm not sure I would recommend this recipe to others.
Jensen Peter
pj@hotmail.comI would definitely make this dish again.
Kanhaiya Suman
sk@yahoo.comOverall, I enjoyed this recipe. It's a healthy and flavorful dish that's perfect for a summer meal.
noor rony
noor_rony64@gmail.comThis recipe is a great starting point, but I think it could be improved with a few tweaks.
Mk khan
mk@gmail.comI thought the grilling step was unnecessary. The polenta was just as good when I cooked it in a pan.
Alexander Blair
balexander97@yahoo.comThe presentation of this dish was beautiful. It would be perfect for a special occasion.
Charlotte Lewis
charlotte-lewis53@yahoo.comThis dish is a great way to get your kids to eat their vegetables.
Ricardo Oblea
oblea@aol.comI'm not sure what went wrong, but my polenta turned out mushy. I think I overcooked it.
Sameer Shafiq
sameershafiq@gmail.comThis recipe was a great way to use up leftover polenta. It's a simple but delicious dish.
Ababu Enrique
ababu@gmail.comI made this dish for a party and it was a big hit! Everyone raved about the flavors.
Ameer Smith
ameer-smith10@aol.comThis dish was a bit bland for my taste. I would add more spices next time.
Betty Schweitzberger
bschweitzberger32@gmail.comI thought the basil sauce was a bit too overpowering. I would use less of it next time.
Diamond Martin
martindiamond@hotmail.comThe tomatoes were the star of the show in this dish. They were perfectly ripe and juicy.
rahman afghan
ra@gmail.comI'm not a big fan of polenta, but I was pleasantly surprised by this recipe. The grilling gave it a nice smoky flavor.
Abdul Nsamba
n@gmail.comThis recipe was easy to follow and the end result was impressive. The basil sauce added a nice touch to the dish.
Legend Hunny
l.hunny@yahoo.comMy family loved this colorful and flavorful dish! The grilled polenta was a hit, and the tomato stacks were a fun way to add fresh vegetables to the meal.