Preheat the oven to 200 °C (180 °C fan). Put the cherry tomatoes in a baking dish with the garlic, olive oil, sea salt and black pepper and roast for 15–20 min, until soft and bursting.
Meanwhile, heat the vegetable stock in a pan. Slowly whisk in the polenta so it stays nice and smooth.
Reduce the heat and let the polenta swell gently. Stir thoroughly now and then so it turns creamy and doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
Take the pan off the heat and stir in the butter and hard cheese. If the polenta is too firm, loosen it with a little water or a splash of milk.
Wash and dry the basil and pick the leaves. Take the roasted cherry tomatoes out of the oven, leaving the juices in the dish.
Spoon the creamy polenta onto plates, top with the braised cherry tomatoes and their garlic and olive oil juices, and serve with fresh basil.
Good to know
A plate like this grounds you straight away. Soft, warm and full of flavour without feeling heavy. Just right when you want something that simply feels good.
Swaps
Butter → ghee (purer butterfat, usually with less lactose); hard cheese → vegetarian hard cheese made from sheep's milk (stronger flavour, a little more protein); vegetable stock → homemade stock (often fewer additives); milk → unsweetened oat or almond alternative (plant-based option, different nutrition depending on the product; oat versions contain gluten unless certified gluten-free, almond versions contain tree nuts)
Allergens
Contains milk from the butter and hard cheese. Usually good for children if the garlic and pepper are mild, and no concern during pregnancy as long as the hard cheese is made from pasteurised or long-aged milk.
