In vegan cuisine, the use of animal products and derivatives is excluded, so when I needed to prepare a vegan dish to enjoy during the Christmas period, I immediately thought of lentils paired with polenta. I cooked whole grain polenta to create Polenta Bites on Lentil Cream. This dish allows everyone, vegans and non-vegans alike, to have lunch or dinner together. Follow the explanations and prepare this recipe with me . . .
Other recipes
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Affordable
- Rest time: 5 Hours
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 3 People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Fall, Winter
- Energy 413.45 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 59.64 (g) of which sugars 1.66 (g)
- Proteins 10.55 (g)
- Fat 16.26 (g) of which saturated 2.32 (g)of which unsaturated 1.61 (g)
- Fibers 7.25 (g)
- Sodium 934.13 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 334 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 5.29 oz whole grain cornmeal
- 2.5 cups water (for cooking the polenta)
- 1 tsp coarse salt
- 3 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 2.82 oz lentils (organic)
- 1 potato (small)
- 1 stalk celery
- 1 carrot
- 1 onion
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 2 pinches fine salt
- 2.1 cups water (for cooking the lentils)
Tools
- Food scale
- Bowl
- Pot
- Immersion blender
- Whisk
Steps
Place the lentils in a bowl and cover them with cold water. Let them soak for 4-5 hours. Prepare a sauté with 2 tablespoons of oil, chopped celery, carrot, onion, and rosemary, and let it brown for a minute. Add the drained lentils, salt, pepper, and mix.
Add the diced potato, salt, and mix. Cover with boiling water and let cook for 30 minutes. Use the immersion blender to make a cream.
Preparing the polenta
Pour the polenta flour into boiling water, salt, and stir with the whisk. Add a tablespoon of oil and stir a little more. Cook for 35 – 40 minutes and turn off the heat. Pour the polenta onto a non-stick surface and level it. Make a layer 0.4 inches thick and let it cool.
Cut out small bites using a small cutter. Fry them in a lightly oiled pan and brown them on both sides. Pour the lentil cream into a baking dish and place the polenta bites in the middle. Decorate with sprigs of rosemary and serve hot.
Tip
The leftover lentil cream can be stored in the fridge, and the next day it will be enough to dilute it with a ladle of water and heat it for a few minutes while stirring.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
How do you know when the polenta is cooked?
The polenta is cooked when it detaches from the sides and bottom, about 40 – 45 minutes from when it is poured into the boiling water.
How to understand the proportion between water and cornmeal?
The proportion for firmer polenta is 1 liter of water with 300 grams of cornmeal, but if you prefer it softer, use 200 grams.
