Polenta; Chili, and Roasted eggplant sauces

Roasted Eggplant Sauce;
Ingredients;
1 eggplant, peeled and sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 garlic head, wrapped in foil (squeeze out after baking,it makes the garlic sweet)
1/2 cup olive oil (divide)
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 head cauliflower, cut into bite sized pieces (or, sub. sataued mushrooms and onions)
First: Cook, mix and set aside the polenta part of the dish.
http://thompsonsorganicrecipes.blogspot.com/2010/11/polenta-for-breakfast.html
Directions : (If you decide to make it yourself instead of buying the tube.)
Follow direction on the box for the polenta, cornmeal or grits all the same but different grounding methods: Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in the polenta and salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low, so the polenta is gently bubbling. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes, until the polenta is the consistency of pureed potatoes. Remove from the heat; cover to keep warm. Use a round mold or another shape and refrigerate till completed cooled.
...............................................
Polenta Recipe:
1 18 ounce tube of polenta, cut into 1/2” slices or, make your own and mold then slice when cooled.
..................
1/4 cup flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 cup vegetable oil (I like olive oil or sunflower)
Salt and Pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Roasted Eggplant Sauce; Coat the eggplant, bell pepper, garlic head and cauliflower with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes on a baking sheet. Let the garlic roast for 30-40 minutes. Let cool. Combine all these ingredients in blender on "chop." or in a food processor, mix the eggplant, pepper, baked garlic clove, parsley, salt and pepper.

Reserve the cauliflower florets. Drizzle in the olive oil. Taste; add additional salt and pepper, if needed serve along side of this dish...(Except for the Chili "semi home made"-"quick meal variation," recipe)

In a large frying pan, bring the vegetable oil up to 375 degrees. In an assembly line, lay out in order, dipping bowls for 1/4 c.flour, 2 eggs and lastly, 1/2 bread crumbs in 3 different dipping dishes.

Dip the pieces of polenta in the flour, (add to the flour some salt and pepper,) (shake off excess), Next, dip in the beaten eggs, then in the bread crumbs; coat thoroughly on both sides.

Fry, brown these polenta pieces for 1-2 minutes on each side. When cooked, lay the pieces out on a paper towel that over a plate to soak up any excess oil.

Pour the eggplant mixture on the bottom of a plate. Place the polenta pieces on the top. Serve immediately. * Tomatoes and cauliflower florets could be stack along side of polenta's plate.

The Quick Variation: Cooked can of chili beans on top of the polenta patties, topped with shredded cheese, and garnish with a few of the following vegetables; chopped green onions, avocados, fresh tomato and sour cream. This has lots of proteing and fiber.
http://thompsonsorganicrecipes.blogspot.com/2010/09/polenta-instead-of-meat.html
http://flavorsofitaly.blogspot.com/2007/09/eggplant-sauce-with-polenta.html
http://www.meatlessmonday.com/eggplant-polenta-quiche/
Tell readers of your results using a recipe or extend another recipe of the same sort on that particular post i.e...

POLENTA FOR BREAKFAST?

Polenta can be a meat or potato substituted, for Breakfast, i.e., I love polenta, especially for breakfast instead of potatoes or bacon. If from the South its sometimes called cornmeal mush or grits. It's very popular item in the health food stores. It comes in a roll there but it's not as good as home made mush style then use your own container for a mole. The more you make it the better you get at forming your own style. Yellow or white?
Here's a basic recipe. After you do this a couple of time make this in much smaller batches and use a old "Spam" cans or such for a mold to the cool the polenta in and the use the rest later. Also, I just add a little salt in your boiling water then add in your corn meal until the right thickness, put in sprayed mold, cool, or leave out the mold part and use like mashed potatoes.
Polenta
3 cups of water
2 teaspoons of kosher salt, sea salt or 1 teaspoon of table salt
1 cup or more or less cornmeal (I buy the organic Polenta in the health food stores when possible. But you can buy fine or coarse in regular store, yellow grits or Aunt Jemima's pure cornmeal, and Italian imported cornmeal are all good, etc.
Bring the water and salt to a gentle boil and a 2-quart heavy saucepan. Gradually add the cornmeal to the water stirring continually, it will stick and lump. (Be sure to add the salt to the water) If your using coarse-ground cornmeal it will take up to 20 minutes to cook compared to the finer ground. The finer ground will be done by the time you are finished, maybe a minute more cooking. I like it thick enough to "stand a fork" in it.
Choose your mold to let it set up, cool, then refrigerate. Line you mold or spray it so it will slip right out.

The next day slice about 1/2 inch thick and fry, saute bake, broil or grill in a good organic raw mono oil or with butter and eggs or however you like it. Good with many vegetables and of course beans. Top with your favorite sauce, gravy or cheese etc. You can add, (go to your health food stores and get ideas here, see what they put in there's) green chili's, garlic and basil, sun dried tomatoes and garlic, peppers spices etc. A free recipe book is available at http://www.quinoa.net/ Sometimes add a bit of the quinoa seed is excellent to add to your diet and grain recipes. Learn to use quinoa in all your cooking.
http://thompsonsorganicrecipes.blogspot.com/2011/07/polenta-chili-and-roasted-eggplant.html
*Just a note on molds, you can use the smallest gift bread loaf pans or small soup cans then cut out the other ends and push the set cornmeal through to make polenta round. I have an old Pyrex dish with a lid that comes from the '50 purchased at a garage sale which is a perfect mold and I love the lid which keeps it fresh. Keep your eye out for exciting molds.

*Make a layer of cook polenta on a cookie sheet and spread this out. Then spray the bottom of another smaller pan on top and weight it down and cool. This makes a mold for any dish especially tamale pie i.e. If you don't weight it down just use as a bottom cutting it into squares and put Chile and beans on top.
*Once you get the idea in making polenta make smaller portions by just adding water while slowly adding grits till it's stiff enough for a fork to stand up in it. Cool in your mold and slice the next day. Another approach is adding cheese ( garlic, basil, etc.) in grits and molding it in different shapes. I love it plain but here's a recipe that more intricate.

Getting fancy!
1 Teaspoon butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 roasted poblano chili (chopped)
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup quick grits
2 ounces grated cheddar cheese
2 ounces grated jack cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Creole seasoning blend to taste
1. Sauté the chilies or sub. peppers, onions, and garlic in butter until soft.
2. Add cream and chicken stock and bring to simmer (the stage just before a rolling boil). Be careful not to let the liquids boil over.
3. Quickly whisk in seasonings and grits. Stir constantly until grits begin to thicken.
4. Gently fold in cheeses and let sit for at least 5 minutes.

COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED...

POLENTA INSTEAD OF MEAT

Polenta for Breakfast or Dinner
Organic grown corn like Polenta which is a good grain especially for breakfast instead of potatoes or bacon (meat.) I'm only using recipes that encourages no meat, or at least only as a seasoning if at that. Polenta sometimes called cornmeal mush or grits, if you’re from the South. It's very popular in the health food stores. Or, one can purchase a roll there but it's not as tasty as the home made variety.
Here's a basic recipe. After you do this couple of time make try making it smaller batches. Use an old "Spam" cans or such for a molding it then cool the polenta and then use creatively. Cook white or yellow polenta then smooth it out on a cookie sheet. After it cooled then cut out sections with a round biscuit cutter. Serve chili, and other favorite creamed dishes over these round polenta molds i.e. for dinner. (Add in more flavor with herbs and spices)
1 cup Polenta (to 3 parts water)
3 cups of water
2 teaspoons of kosher salt, sea salt
Add 1 tsp. of any one or two spices (optional) More, if freshly chopped...
Or, Follow directions on package. Make thick to “mold it, cool it and cut up later in slices for breakfasts.
Or, 1 cup or more or less cornmeal (I buy the organic Polenta in the health food stores that is not GA product), Or, you can buy fine or coarse in regular store, yellow grits or Aunt Jemima's pure cornmeal, and Italian imported cornmeal are all good, etc.
Bring the water and salt to a gentle boil and a 2-quart heavy saucepan. Gradually add the cornmeal to the water stirring continually, or it will stick and lump. (Be sure to add the salt to the water) If your using coarse-ground cornmeal it will take up to 20 minutes to cook compared to the finer ground. The finer ground will be done by the time you are finished, maybe a minute more cooking. Make it thick enough to "stand a fork" in it. Choose your mold to let it set up, cool, and then refrigerate. It will slip right out, or pre spray with Butter flavored Pam.
The next day or when set and cooled slice about 1/2 inch thick and fry, sauté, bake, broil or grill in good organic raw mono oil or serve with butter and eggs or however you like it.
Good with many vegetables and of course beans. Top with your favorite sauce, gravy or cheese etc.
You can add, (go to your health food stores and get ideas here, see what they put in there's) in green chilis, garlic and basil; sun dried tomatoes and garlic, peppers spices etc. A free recipe book is available at http://www.quinoa.net/ Sometime for variations add in a bit of the quinoa seed and is excellent to add to your diet and other grain recipes. Cook up a bit different because it's seeds. Learn to use quinoa in all your cooking. It's actually the most nutritional seed and could stop world hunger.
*Just a note on molds, you can use the smallest gift bread loaf pans or small soup cans then cut out the other ends and push the set cornmeal through to make polenta round. I have an old Pyrex dish with a lid that comes from the '50 purchased at a garage sale, which is a perfect mold, and I love the lid, which keeps it fresh. Keep your eye out for exciting molds.
*If made on a layer of the cook polenta on a cookie sheet spread this out. Spray the bottom of another smaller pan on top, weight it down, and cool. This makes a mold for any dish especially tamale pie i.e. If you don’t weight it down just use as the bottom cutting it into squares then put chili beans on top.
*Once you get the idea in making polenta it becomes easier to make smaller portions by just adding water while slowly adding grits till it's stiff enough for a fork to stand up in it. Cool in your mold and slice the next day.
*Another Variation is adding in cheese (garlic, basil, etc.) in grits and molding it in different shapes. I love it plain but here's a recipe that more intricate.
Getting fancy!
1 Teaspoon butter 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 roasted poblano chili (chopped) 1 teaspoon chopped garlic 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock 1 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup quick grits 2 ounces grated cheddar cheese 2 ounces grated jack cheese salt and pepper to taste Creole seasoning blend to taste
1. Sauté the chilies or sub. peppers, onions, and garlic in butter until soft.
2. Add cream and chicken stock and bring to simmer (the stage just before a rolling boil). Be careful not to let the liquids boil over.
3. Quickly whisk in seasonings and grits. Stir constantly until grits begin to thicken.
4. Gently fold in cheeses and let sit for at least 5 minutes.
(Lots of ideas at thrift-stores to finding your mold.) http://earthsorganicnews.blogspot.com/2008/09/history-of-eating-meatbible-ref.html
http://thompsonsorganicrecipes.blogspot.com/2011/07/polenta-chili-and-roasted-eggplant.html Two Dinner recipes

All right reserved