(Barefoot Contessa Family Style Cookbook)
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cups chicken stock (homemade or other good quality stock)
2 cups half-and-half
2 cups milk
2 cups yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup good grated Parmesan cheese
Flour, olive oil, and butter, for frying
Heat
the butter and olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the garlic, red
pepper flakes, rosemary, salt, and pepper and sauté for 1 minute. Add
the chicken stock, half-and-half, and milk and bring to a boil. Remove
from the heat and slowly sprinkle the cornmeal into the hot milk while
stirring constantly with a whisk. Cook over low heat, stirring
constantly, for a few minutes, until thickened and bubbly. Off the
heat, stir in the Parmesan. Pour into a 9 x 13 x 2-inch pan, smooth the
top, and refrigerate until firm and cold.
Cut
the chilled polenta into 12 squares, as you would with brownies. Lift
each one out with a spatula and cut diagonally into triangles. Dust
each triangle lightly with flour. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1
tablespoon butter in a large sauté pan and cook the triangles in batches
over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, turning once, until browned on the
outside and heated inside. Add more butter and oil, as needed. Serve
immediately.
Note:
This is excellent served as a side dish, but can also be served with a
complementary meat or vegetarian sauce as a main dish.
