Crispy polenta wedges with tomato ragout

Crispy polenta wedges with tomato ragout: golden polenta cooked in vegetable stock, served with a fruity ragout of cherry tomatoes, shallot, garlic, thyme and basil.

At a glance

• Serves 2
• Prep time: 15 min
• Cooking time: 30 min
• Total time: 45 min
• Calories: 420 kcal per serving
• Protein: 10 g
• Fat: 12 g
• Carbs: 65 g

Ingredients

• 150 g polenta
• 600 ml vegetable stock
• 400 g cherry tomatoes
• 1 shallot
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 small bunch of basil
• 1 pinch of salt

Method

You’ll need: frying pan · chopping board · knife · wooden spoon

1. Cook the polenta in the vegetable stock, stirring, until soft and creamy. Season with a little salt and let the steam escape briefly.
2. Spread the polenta in a shallow dish and leave to set completely. Then cut into wedges.
3. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and gently sweat the shallot and garlic. Add the cherry tomatoes and thyme and let them reduce briefly.
4. Season the tomato ragout to taste with balsamic vinegar and salt. Only fold in the basil at the end so its flavour stays fresh.
5. Fry the polenta wedges in a frying pan with a little olive oil on both sides until golden brown and crisp.
6. Serve the polenta wedges hot with the tomato ragout and finish with a little fresh basil if you like.

Good to know

Crisp outside, tender inside – that's polenta at its best. Add a warm tomato ragout that's simple but still has loads of flavour.

Swaps

Polenta → wholegrain polenta (also provides fibre) | cherry tomatoes → chopped tomatoes from a jar without added sugar (practical, also contain lycopene) | olive oil → avocado oil (heat-stable, with monounsaturated fatty acids) | balsamic vinegar → lemon juice (fresh acidity, a little vitamin C)

Allergens

The dish is naturally gluten-free if the polenta is labelled accordingly; it contains none of the typical major allergens. Usually well suited to children, and fine in pregnancy as long as the vegetable stock and all the ingredients are fresh and prepared with good kitchen hygiene.

Dairy-free recipes