amyvn
12-11-2007, 12:22 PM
I love these threads :) , so I have to start one even though I know everyone is busy. We've had a couple of winners in the last week. Last night I made Polenta with Pinto Beans and Roasted Vegetables, a Peter Berley recipe that was published in Food and Wine. Halfway through making it, I was sure it was going to be terrible - the veggies looked too plain, and the polenta was too soft and tasted bland by itself. In the end, it was one of those "whole is greater than the sum of its parts" things, because it was pretty outstanding. The red pepper flakes gave it a little bit of kick, but weren't so spicy they overpowered the flavor of the roasted veggies. We really enjoyed it.
I also adapted Robyncz's chalupa (http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?t=113251) recipe to use seitan instead of pork. We used it as a burrito filling with cheese, sour cream, and lettuce and tomato and enjoyed it. I don't have a slow-cooker so was using my dutch oven on the stovetop, and I skimped on the cooking time a little because the seitan didn't need to cook that long. In the end, I think the flavors would have blended better if it had had more time on the stove.
Amy
Polenta with Pinto Beans and Roasted Vegetables
TOTAL TIME: 30 MIN
SERVES: 4
ingredients
* Large pinch of saffron threads
* 1 1/2 quarts plus 1 tablespoon hot water
* 2 medium red onions, cut into 6 wedges each
* 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 1/2 pounds cauliflower (from 1 small head), separated into 1-inch florets
* 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
* Salt and freshly ground pepper
* 2 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
* One 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained
* One 14-ounce can diced tomatoes with their juices
* 1/2 cup dry white wine
* 1 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
* 1 1/2 cups instant polenta
* 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
directions
1. Preheat the oven to 450°. In a small bowl, cover the saffron with 1 tablespoon of the hot water and set aside.
2. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the onion wedges with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. In a large roasting pan, toss the cauliflower and sweet potato with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season all of the vegetables with salt and pepper and roast for 10 minutes, adding the garlic to the onions in the last 3 minutes. Remove the onions and garlic from the oven.
3. Add the beans, tomatoes and their juices, wine, cumin, crushed red pepper and saffron water to the cauliflower and sweet potatoes; roast for 10 minutes longer.
4. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring the remaining 1 1/2 quarts of water to a boil. Whisk in the polenta; cook over moderate heat, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1/4 cup of Parmesan; season with salt and pepper.
5. Spoon the polenta into 4 bowls. Stir the onions and garlic into the other vegetables, season with salt and pepper and ladle over the polenta. Serve, passing the remaining Parmesan at the table.
NOTES One Serving 640 cal, 24 gm fat, 4.9 gm saturated fat, 88 gm carb, 16 gm fiber.
I also adapted Robyncz's chalupa (http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?t=113251) recipe to use seitan instead of pork. We used it as a burrito filling with cheese, sour cream, and lettuce and tomato and enjoyed it. I don't have a slow-cooker so was using my dutch oven on the stovetop, and I skimped on the cooking time a little because the seitan didn't need to cook that long. In the end, I think the flavors would have blended better if it had had more time on the stove.
Amy
Polenta with Pinto Beans and Roasted Vegetables
TOTAL TIME: 30 MIN
SERVES: 4
ingredients
* Large pinch of saffron threads
* 1 1/2 quarts plus 1 tablespoon hot water
* 2 medium red onions, cut into 6 wedges each
* 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 1/2 pounds cauliflower (from 1 small head), separated into 1-inch florets
* 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
* Salt and freshly ground pepper
* 2 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
* One 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained
* One 14-ounce can diced tomatoes with their juices
* 1/2 cup dry white wine
* 1 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
* 1 1/2 cups instant polenta
* 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
directions
1. Preheat the oven to 450°. In a small bowl, cover the saffron with 1 tablespoon of the hot water and set aside.
2. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the onion wedges with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. In a large roasting pan, toss the cauliflower and sweet potato with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season all of the vegetables with salt and pepper and roast for 10 minutes, adding the garlic to the onions in the last 3 minutes. Remove the onions and garlic from the oven.
3. Add the beans, tomatoes and their juices, wine, cumin, crushed red pepper and saffron water to the cauliflower and sweet potatoes; roast for 10 minutes longer.
4. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring the remaining 1 1/2 quarts of water to a boil. Whisk in the polenta; cook over moderate heat, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1/4 cup of Parmesan; season with salt and pepper.
5. Spoon the polenta into 4 bowls. Stir the onions and garlic into the other vegetables, season with salt and pepper and ladle over the polenta. Serve, passing the remaining Parmesan at the table.
NOTES One Serving 640 cal, 24 gm fat, 4.9 gm saturated fat, 88 gm carb, 16 gm fiber.