Hard Polenta Cakes With Taleggio And Cherry Tomatoes Recipes

Steps:

• In a saucepan combine the milk, water, bay and cayenne. Bring the mixture to a boil over low heat and season generously with salt. Take the seasoning to the edge of too salty. To do this you MUST taste as you go. Polenta acts as a salt eraser, if you don't season abundantly here you will never recover from it.
• Once the liquid is at a boil and is seasoned appropriately, sprinkle in the polenta whisking constantly. Once the polenta is combined switch over to a wooden spoon and stir frequently until the polenta has become thick. Taste the polenta to see if it has cooked through. If it still feels mealy and grainy, add some more milk or water and cook it to a thick consistency. Repeat this process, as needed, until the polenta feels smooth on your tongue, about 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and stir in the chopped sage and mascarpone.
• Line a 7 by 7-inch square pan with plastic wrap. Pour the polenta into the prepared pan. Cover the top with more plastic smoothed onto the surface of the polenta. Chill in the refrigerator until needed. (All of this can totally be done ahead of time, like yesterday! Cool!)
• When ready to use, remove the polenta from the pan and cut into desired shapes. Coat a nonstick saute pan with olive oil and bring to medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot and starting to smoke just a little, add the polenta shapes. Cook the polenta on both sides and finish by sprinkling with a little bit grated Parmigiano. Transfer to a serving platter and serve while hot.
• What a corncake!!!!

Steps:

• Prepare a grill for indirect heat. If using a charcoal grill, build the hot coals on one side only. If using a gas grill, heat one side only to medium-high heat.
• Vigorously whisk together the eggs and 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a large bowl until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the cornmeal, flour and salt, smoothing out any lumps. Whisk in the milk and almond extract.
• Add the butter to a 10- to 12-inch cast-iron skillet over direct heat. When the butter has melted, swirl it around to coat the bottom of the skillet. Right before you are ready to pour the batter into the pan, give the batter another whisk. (Cornmeal tends to sink to the bottom so re-whisking right before pouring it in is important.) Pour the batter into the cast-iron and cook until the batter begins to set, about 5 minutes. Every few minutes, using a rubber spatula, move some of the batter from the edges to the middle, like making scrambled eggs, to help it cook.
• Remove the skillet from the grill and distribute the cherries evenly over the surface of the cake. Place the cast-iron over indirect heat, close the grill and bake until puffed and golden brown, about 30 minutes.
• Remove the cake from the grill and immediately sprinkle it with the remaining teaspoon of granulated sugar. Allow to cool slightly before loosening and sliding it onto a plate. Slice and serve dusted with confectioners' sugar.
• (Alternatively, you can begin to bake the cake over medium-high heat on a stovetop, then finish it in a 375 degrees F oven for 30 minutes.)

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil.
• Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and add the garlic and the crushed red pepper. Bring the pan to a medium-high heat. When the garlic has turned a lovely golden brown color, remove it and discard. Add the grape tomatoes and half the stock and season with salt. Simmer the pan until the tomatoes have wilted and let off their juices. Add the corn and the remaining stock and simmer until the corn is cooked through.
• While the corn is cooking add the pasta to the pot of salty boiling water. Cook the pasta until the water comes back to a rolling boil plus 1 minute. Remove the pasta from the water and add it to the saute pan with the tomatoes and corn. Add about a half a cup of the pasta cooking water and cook until the water has evaporated and the sauce clings to the pasta. Remove the pan from the heat. Toss in the parmigiana, basil and a big drizzle of high quality extra-virgin olive oil. Stir or toss the pasta vigorously. Divide the pasta between 2 serving dishes, sprinkle with a little more grated parmigiana, and serve immediately.
• Buonissimo!!
• Why We Love: Corn

Steps:

• Preheat a grill or broiler. Grill or broil the corn until it is dark brown on all sides. Cut the kernels off the cob and reserve. Once the kernels have been removed from the cob, run your knife along the cob to get any residual pieces of the kernels. Reserve.
• Coat a large wide pot, over medium-high heat, with olive oil. Toss in the garlic and crushed red pepper. When the garlic becomes golden and is very aromatic, remove it from the pan and discard. Toss in the cherry tomatoes and roll them around in the oil. Add 1 cup of stock and season with salt. Reduce the heat to medium and let the tomatoes cook until they start to burst and give off their juices. This will take about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over medium heat.
• Add the corn kernels to the pot with the tomatoes. Stir to combine and add 1/2 cup of stock if the liquid level is very low.
• Drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or longer if using dried pasta. Toss the shrimp into the pot with the tomatoes and stir to combine.
• Drain the pasta from the cooking water, reserving 1/2 cup water, and toss immediately into the pot with the tomato mixture. Add in 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, if needed. Toss vigorously to combine. Remove from the heat and give a drizzle of high quality finishing oil and a sprinkling of grated Parmesan. Transfer to a serving bowl or platter and serve immediately.
• It's summer in a bowl!