This method depends on having very fresh summer sweet corn, preferably from the field that day. Ottolenghi’s Eggplant with Buttermilk Sauce Is One of the Most Iconic Recipes of the Past Decade 2reviews The iconic image on the cover of Yotam Ottolenghi's cult-classic cookbook "Plenty" is one of the easiest and best recipes from the entire collection. In Ottolenghi’s recipe, he mixes feta in with the polenta and tops it with an eggplant sauce. Can't wait to try this for dinner tonight. Mix well, then spoon in a large, shallow bowl. His 2011 cookbook, Plenty , was a New York Times best seller. Taste and add more salt if needed. Added some sauteed onion but otherwise followed recipe (but doubled it). In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. I ended using about 3/4 of the feta and stirring into the polenta and the remainder I added as a garnish. Stir in the diced eggplant, the remaining parmesan, the basil and the rest of the lemon zest. Reply kitchen flavours August 18, 2015 at 5:29 am. I made it many times once corn season started. This is a great combination. My ears were so big, I ended up with over 9 oz of corn kernels left after I measured out the 1.25 lbs. specified using only four ears. I have Ottolenghi's book and the recipes are usually great. If you can figure out a way to add more crunch or texture do that (maybe some nuts or seeds? I might actually try to bake the eggplant next time to see how that turns out. This polenta recipe definitely takes more time that either of the aforementioned preparations, but it’s well worth the effort. Use a slotted spoon to lift the kernels from the water and into a food processor; reserve the cooking liquid. Measure out and grate the cheese. Mix the salad and season lightly. This is fantastic. Yotam Ottolenghi owns a namesake group of restaurants in London, plus a high-end restaurant, Nopi, also in London. Spoon about 1 cup tomato sauce over eggplant, and arrange polenta rounds in slightly overlapping slices on top. I’ll let you know how it turns out. I then add water in at the cooking stage to get the consistency I want. Other than the second degree burn (yeah, the polenta really does sputter) this was awesome. I’m sorry that it’s the tail end of the corn season here in the Northeast. I did follow the microwave method in cooking the corn. 1/4 teaspoon sugar Use a sharp knife to shave off the kernels. Mise en place. I served with store-bought naan to sop up polenta and eggplant sauce. I think the polenta would become cake like, not very good. Recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi via Food52, 2/3 cups vegetable oil (I used 1/3 cup and it worked fine) But it's also full of ideas you can parcel out as you see fit—namely, polenta doesn't have to be born out of dry goods. I would double the eggplant part of the recipe next time and cook it a little longer. Stir well, then cover and set aside for 5 minutes. Grill for eight minutes, until it takes on some colour. I'm glad to see the comments about using less liquid because every time I've made it, it never comes out as "mashed potato consistency," regardless of how long I cook it (and I've cooked it VERY long). The first is a corn polenta where you cook fresh corn kernels, then process them and add a bunch of butter and feta cheese. It's a polenta made with fresh sweet corn and topped with an Eggplant and Tomato Sauce. Drain off as much oil as possible and discard it. Thank you for the suggestion! I cooked 1/2 cup of "true" polenta and added the whole corn kernels to that. We even grow our own eggplant and tomatoes to make this dish. The first time I made the recipe, I used 2/3 cup of vegetable oil, as specified. Place the eggplant halves, cut-side up, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Since the fresh corn season is coming to an end, I wanted to use some of the last few stalks of the season from my farmers' market so this was a simple and perfect dish to make. Add some of the cooking liquid if the mixture becomes too dry to process. The next time I made it, I cut that in half and the eggplant cooked perfectly. Heat up the oil in a large saucepan and fry the eggplant on medium heat for about 15 minutes, or until nicely brown. Add tomatoes and salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, … 2 1/4 cups water Preheat oven to 400 degrees; with rack in upper third. Two years ago: Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna I followed the recipe as written with the exception of adding the corn water back in. I will definitely make it again. My food at-home food critic raved about it. The eggplang was very bitter, maybe salting and letting it strain before cooking it would have helped. Yield: 4 servings Found the sweet corn polenta to be too sweet, I think normal polenta would be better. Process them for quite a few minutes, to break as much of the kernel case as possible. I was so dissapointed that I would not even trying making the recipe again. Use a slotted spoon to lift the kernels from the water and into a food processor; reserve the cooking liquid. Terrific. I ended up mashing up about 4 cloves of garlic in mortar and pestle with some salt, olive oil and lemon juice and added it to the still hot tomato stew. The consistency was close to mashed potatoes and it just required a bit of simmering. Perhaps the original version comes out silkier but I loved the results I got in no more time than it took to make the eggplant sauce. Spoon about a cup tomato sauce into a 9-inch square baking dish, spreading to coat evenly; arrange eggplant slices snugly in a single layer. I got the idea for this recipe from a delicious dish by the genius Ottolenghi posted by Food52. 6 1/2 tablespoons water Add the wine and simmer for 1 minute, or until almost evaporated. Drain off as much oil as you can and discard it -- the safest way to do this is to scoop out the eggplant to a plate using a slotted spoon, then pour off the oil into a bowl before adding the eggplant back in. The corn would have been far too runny otherwise. Add half of the lemon zest, the lemon juice, grilled eggplant flesh, butter, most of the parmesan and ¾ teaspoon salt. So fresh tasting. But the strength of this dish is really how fast it is. I have never needed to add any of the cooking liquid. The new vegetarian | Vegetarian food and drink | The Guardian Process the corn for quite a few minutes, to break as much of the kernel case as possible. And overall was just too much mush. I also used the microwave cooking method for the corn before pureeing it -- I think this helped keep it from being watery, because it thickened up really well. You can save the oil to fry lamb chops or eggs in tomorrow. If you cut the corn and chop the tomatoes and eggplant the day prior, this entire dish comes together in almost no time. This is my favorite dish of the summer. “The flaky pastry, featuring polenta and sage, adds a satisfying savory crunch that complements the sweetness of the vegetables, tartness of the maple orange–caramel and richness of the slow-cooked shallot mascarpone,” Ottolenghi says. Fresh corn, cooked quickly, breaks down to a sweet soup in the food processor. One year ago: Risotto Stuffed Tomatoes Add the chopped tomatoes, water, salt, sugar and oregano and cook for a further 5 minutes to get a deep-flavored sauce. (Be aware that if you have a lot of liquid left in the pan, it can take a while to cook down the polenta, and it will sputter. I've made this recipe several times (from the cookbook). 1 tablespoon chopped oregano. 1/4 teaspoon salt Mix eggplant in a large bowl with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Consider holding back some or all of the liquid. Add the tomato paste to the pan and stir with the eggplant. Repeat with sauce and another layer of eggplant. 1 cup chopped peeled tomatoes (fresh or canned) Eggplant was similar but a bit of an upgrade from a standard household recipe. Three years ago: Grilled Pork Chops with Garlic Lime Sauce 2 teaspoons tomato paste I made this with all the vegetables picked fresh today. Sweet Corn Polenta with Eggplant Sauce. As an added bonus for holiday hosts, some parts can be prepped in advance. The polenta can be made the day before and these wedges are a great way to use up any leftover cooked polenta. Adapted slightly from Ottolenghi… Add the tomato paste to the pan and saute with the eggplant for 2 minutes. Promise. Use a … I did not like this dish at all. Add the chopped tomatoes, water, salt, sugar and oregano and cook for a further 5 minutes to get a deep-flavored sauce. Drain off as much oil as you can and discard it — the safest way to do this is to scoop out the eggplant to a plate using a slotted spoon, then pour off the oil into a bowl before added the eggplant back in. Add the tomato paste to the pan and stir with the eggplant. In its entirety, this is a recipe that works and is really, really good. Remove the polenta leaves and silk threads from the corn cobs and chop the point and the shaft off. Took the kernels off the cob, microwaved with 1-2 T water for 5-6 minutes and then finished in the food processor. Place the kernels in a medium saucepan and barely cover them with the water. The recipe calls for frying the eggplant. The polenta tasted so sweet, almost like dessert. This is going to be close to the top of my go-to summer recipe list. Remove the leaves and "silk" from each ear of corn, then chop off the pointed top and stalk. One night I didn’t have any fresh oregano, so I used dried and the sauce was still delicious. Top with the yogurt, swirling it … I held the cooking liquid aside and only ended up using a little bit of it. Sauté onion, eggplant, and tomatoes with plenty of garlic for a combination reminiscent of ratatouille. Transfer to 2 large parchment-lined baking sheets and then brush with 5 tablespoons of oil — you want it on both sides of the discs. I use the corn right off the cob without cooking it before it is pureed. Eggplant sauce sounds delish! Yotam Ottolenghi’s Sweet Corn Polenta with Eggplant Sauce I think it could be eaten at room temperature, I think it's meant to be eaten hot and it's really good hot.. Heat up the oil in a large saucepan and fry the eggplant on medium heat for about 15 minutes, or until nicely brown. Fresh corn, cooked quickly, breaks down to a sweet soup in the food processor. Cook for 12 minutes on a low simmer. You want to have 1 1/4 pounds kernels. Brush them with olive oil—keep on brushing until all of the oil has been absorbed by … Cut the polenta into six and space on a baking tray. Four years ago: Mini Maple Pancake Muffins In its entirety, this is a recipe that works and is really, really good. Used an immersion blender as mentioned by others to save on dishes and it worked just fine. Heat the oil in a large skillet and fry the eggplant on medium heat for about 15 minutes, or until nicely brown. Stuffed Eggplant in Curry and Coconut Dal From Yotam Ottolenghi’s “Flavor” JewishBoston As the authors write of the sweet and sour Brussels sprouts with chestnuts and grapes, “A subtle sharp sweetness, with hints of bitterness, gradually emerges, giving the dish a real festive quality.” I’m also not a fan of making it from corn meal. My eggplant disintegrated so that it was more a thick sauce with bits vs chunks like in the photo - but no matter. Bake for 35 minutes, until dark golden brown and cooked through. I also added some chopped up green olives, just because I like the tomato and olive combo. Hated thinking abut all the oil we were consuming but frying the eggplant is what made it better than a normal dish. I made the eggplant as written (though doubled) and thought it was great. This was very good, and we didn't find the polenta too sweet at all. Adapted slightly from Ottolenghi's Plenty (Chronicle Books, 2011). Sweet Corn Polenta. Then spoon this tasty vegetable stew over steaming Parmesan polenta to make a satisfying meal. The sauce combines fried eggplant with tomatoes in a quick reduction that yields sweet rich flavors. Yesterday I found some beautiful corn at the farmer’s market so last night I made the just sweet corn polenta as a side dish. Aside from that, this recipe is so incredibly full of flavor and wonderful texture. or have it on the side with something else?). Made the recipe exactly as it was...EXCEPT what I thought was a container of frozen tomatoes leftover turned out to be some marinara (hah, freezer burn got the label), but it still turned out fantastic. Black pepper. When the polenta thickens you won’t have time to separate an egg, so do it now, along with getting everything else ready. 6 ears of corn Very good. 1 medium eggplant, cut into 3/4-inch dice Corn | Eggplant | Eggplant Sweet Corn Tomatoes (fresh or canned) A great recipe that you can enjoy as is, or apply pieces to different applications. I have to wonder if the original version is geared toward the commercial kitchen and does not hold any real advantages for the household cook making 2-4 servings at a time. Eggplant with Buttermilk Sauce. You want to have approximately 1 1/4 pounds kernels. A dissenting view -- despite loving most Ottolenghi recipes we didn't like this one at all! My Aunt Sylvia loved it so much she had three servings! Or room-temperature after refrigeration? I made regular polenta. Place the kernels in a medium saucepan and barely cover them with the water. Heat the oil in a large saucepan (wait until the oil is hot) and fry the eggplant on medium heat for about 15 minutes, or until nicely brown. Remove the leaves and “silk” from each ear of corn, then chop off the pointed top and stalk. BTW, I tried it once with frozen corn and canned tomatoes and it was terrible. Turned out fantastic. It’s not a surprise that so many people decided to cook the cover … Thx. Use a sharp knife to shave off the kernels -- either stand each ear upright on its base and shave downward, or lay each ear on its side on a cutting board to slice off the kernels. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the wine and cook for 1 minute. I would definitely make the stew again, but the polenta...I think I would use it as a corn chowder instead. Set aside; warm it up when needed. I thought this was really good. 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