I hope that you have had a wonderful long holiday weekend! I love scrolling through facebook and instagram and seeing all of the wonderful camping trips, and rodeos and parades and lake trips and all things fun and summery and Americana. We were not nearly so fun. We have been pretty mellow. There were fun dinners with friends on Friday and Saturday, My family on Sunday and then we all just lay like vegetables on the Fourth of July. We went to the BFG with the kids this weekend, and I watched Miracles from Heaven with the girls and no-joke cried for 2 hours straight. My face was deformed from so much crying- my eyes didn’t open up normally for like 4 hours and I went through a box of Kleenex- but it was a pretty wonderful movie- have you guys seen that?

Soft Polenta with Corn and Tomatoes and Pesto- vegan and Gluten free from HeatherChristo.com

Ok- so for us in Seattle, true summer weather does not usually kick in until July 5th, so that’s our un-official “first day of summer” in Seattle. And I had to make sure that I shared a super summery dish with you in celebration! So it had to be Creamy Polenta with Pesto, Corn and Blistered Cherry Tomatoes. I have to tell you that this is so incredibly delicious. Very simple, but so, so flavorful, colorful and all around amazing. And I feel like that is just what we all want out of summer food- for it to be simple and outstanding at the same time.

Soft Polenta with Corn and Tomatoes and Pesto- vegan and Gluten free from HeatherChristo.com

This is easy enough for a fast summer vegetarian main course, (or a side to grilled pork chops or Salmon) but also would be lovely if you were having guests over too. Hope you try it!

Soft Polenta with Corn and Tomatoes and Pesto- vegan and Gluten free from HeatherChristo.com

Creamy Polenta with Pesto, Corn and Blistered Cherry Tomatoes
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4-6
 
Ingredients
  • Creamy Polenta:
  • 5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup polenta (yellow cornmeal)
  • Basil Pesto:
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 4 ounces fresh basil leaves
  • 2 tablespoons toasted slivered almonds
  • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • kosher salt
  • Corn and Blistered Cherry Tomatoes:
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 fresh ear of corn, kernels cut from the cobb
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes
  • kosher salt
Instructions
  1. In a large pot bring 4 cups of the chicken broth and the kosher salt to a boil over medium-high heat. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the polenta, briskly mixing it in so that there are no lumps.
  2. Turn the heat down to low and continue stirring. Stir often as the polenta cooks, making sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the pan so nothing sticks. If the polenta starts to dry up, add the 5th cup of chicken stock. You will want to cook the polenta for 25-30 minutes until it is very soft and the cornmeal is tender. Season to taste with additional kosher salt and pour out onto a serving platter.
  3. While the polenta is cooking, make the Basil Pesto and the Corn and Blistered Cherry Tomatoes
  4. For the Pesto: Combine the garlic, basil, almonds, red wine vinegar and olive oil in the jar of a blender and puree until smooth. Season to taste and set aside.
  5. For the Corn and Blistered Cherry Tomatoes: In a medium pan over medium-high heat add the olive oil and the onion and tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes just start to blister and split. Add the corn and cook about 30-60 seconds more, season to taste with kosher salt and then pull off the heat.
  6. Spoon the basil pesto over the polenta and then top that with the corn and tomatoes.
  7. Serve hot!

 

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Categorized: Recipe Index, Side dishes, Vegan
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I hope that you have had a wonderful long holiday weekend! I love scrolling through facebook and instagram and seeing all of the wonderful camping trips, and rodeos and parades and lake trips and all things fun and summery and Americana. We were not nearly so fun. We have been pretty mellow. There were fun dinners with friends on Friday and Saturday, My family on Sunday and then we all just lay like vegetables on the Fourth of July. We went to the BFG with the kids this weekend, and I watched Miracles from Heaven with the girls and no-joke cried for 2 hours straight. My face was deformed from so much crying- my eyes didn’t open up normally for like 4 hours and I went through a box of Kleenex- but it was a pretty wonderful movie- have you guys seen that?

Soft Polenta with Corn and Tomatoes and Pesto- vegan and Gluten free from HeatherChristo.com

Ok- so for us in Seattle, true summer weather does not usually kick in until July 5th, so that’s our un-official “first day of summer” in Seattle. And I had to make sure that I shared a super summery dish with you in celebration! So it had to be Creamy Polenta with Pesto, Corn and Blistered Cherry Tomatoes. I have to tell you that this is so incredibly delicious. Very simple, but so, so flavorful, colorful and all around amazing. And I feel like that is just what we all want out of summer food- for it to be simple and outstanding at the same time.

Soft Polenta with Corn and Tomatoes and Pesto- vegan and Gluten free from HeatherChristo.com

This is easy enough for a fast summer vegetarian main course, (or a side to grilled pork chops or Salmon) but also would be lovely if you were having guests over too. Hope you try it!

Soft Polenta with Corn and Tomatoes and Pesto- vegan and Gluten free from HeatherChristo.com

Creamy Polenta with Pesto, Corn and Blistered Cherry Tomatoes
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4-6
 
Ingredients
  • Creamy Polenta:
  • 5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup polenta (yellow cornmeal)
  • Basil Pesto:
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 4 ounces fresh basil leaves
  • 2 tablespoons toasted slivered almonds
  • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • kosher salt
  • Corn and Blistered Cherry Tomatoes:
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 fresh ear of corn, kernels cut from the cobb
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes
  • kosher salt
Instructions
  1. In a large pot bring 4 cups of the chicken broth and the kosher salt to a boil over medium-high heat. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the polenta, briskly mixing it in so that there are no lumps.
  2. Turn the heat down to low and continue stirring. Stir often as the polenta cooks, making sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the pan so nothing sticks. If the polenta starts to dry up, add the 5th cup of chicken stock. You will want to cook the polenta for 25-30 minutes until it is very soft and the cornmeal is tender. Season to taste with additional kosher salt and pour out onto a serving platter.
  3. While the polenta is cooking, make the Basil Pesto and the Corn and Blistered Cherry Tomatoes
  4. For the Pesto: Combine the garlic, basil, almonds, red wine vinegar and olive oil in the jar of a blender and puree until smooth. Season to taste and set aside.
  5. For the Corn and Blistered Cherry Tomatoes: In a medium pan over medium-high heat add the olive oil and the onion and tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes just start to blister and split. Add the corn and cook about 30-60 seconds more, season to taste with kosher salt and then pull off the heat.
  6. Spoon the basil pesto over the polenta and then top that with the corn and tomatoes.
  7. Serve hot!

 

Recipe by Heather Christo (http://heatherchristo.com)