Polenta Stuffed Peppers

Some people call it grits, some say cornmeal, others call it porridge. But in Italy they call it polenta, and it's one of those versatile grains that can be used for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  Heck, I've used it as an appetizer, that's just how useful these golden kernels are.  For those who haven't made polenta, it is ground cornmeal. You can make it creamy, or more solid which you can then cut into small pieces and fry, grill or bake to create a perfect delivery vehicle for various toppings.  This time around I asked more from my polenta by using it as a stuffing.  

Last week I found some yellow peppers (among other goodies) at the farm stand and asked my niece, Gabrielle, who is staying with us this summer, if she liked stuffed peppers.  Since her answer was yes, I grabbed a few knowing that I would evidentially figure out what to stuff them with.  

My bountiful picks of the week. Yes, I got cauliflower and made 'Faux Creamy' Cauliflower Soup. Plus I created another topping for the white eggplant. That will be coming soon. (P.S. It was my niece, Gabrielle's idea to take our abundant finds and p…

My bountiful picks of the week. Yes, I got cauliflower and made 'Faux Creamy' Cauliflower Soup. Plus I created another topping for the white eggplant. That will be coming soon. (P.S. It was my niece, Gabrielle's idea to take our abundant finds and photograph them outside. Good idea

My mom used to stuff peppers with ground beef, rice and tomatoes, but I don't eat meat, so toss that idea down the drain.  All week long I had different ideas ruminating in my head .  Among them...

  • Potatoes/Peas/Carrots

  • Chicken pot pie in a pepper (but I don't eat chicken either)

  • Rice and something else??

  • Something and something else...

None of those had any real chance of winning a spot as the stuffing. Then when JC used the fresh English peas for another dish, peas were no longer an option either.  However, when I discovered some mushrooms in the fridge I knew just how well polenta cozies up to them.  A real earthy combo. My niece, Gabrielle, suggested adding spinach, which I thought was a great idea but I already had kale in the house, so why buy something else. Remember what I always say; recipes can be followed exactly or used as a guidelines. So USE what you have and don't fret, which is exactly what I did.  The plot thickened, as did the polenta.  Here is the plan to stuff some peppers with polenta.  Say that 3 times fast!

INGREDIENTS

6 yellow, red or orange peppers
3 c mushrooms, cut into small pieces
2 c Kale, chopped
5 T chives, chopped
1/2 t crushed garlic
1 c polenta
2/3 c Feta cheese
4-5 T milk or cream (optional)
Magic 3 (olive, salt, pepper)

Instructions

Cut the tops and seeded middle out of the peppers, wash, and let dry. In a skillet, sauté the mushrooms in oil. Do not salt them until they are cooked as doing so early on releases their liquid and they become mushy.  Add 3 tablespoons of chives and salt toward the end of the cooking process. Once nicely browned, remove from the pan and set aside.  In the same pan, sauté the kale quickly.  You just want to wilt this but not overcook it. Remove and set aside. 

Nicely browned mushrooms with garlic and chives.

Nicely browned mushrooms with garlic and chives.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook the polenta according to the package. You want a creamy consistency.  Remove from heat and stir in the milk or cream.  Once combined add the feta, mushrooms, kale and the rest of the chopped chives.  

Fill each of the peppers with the stuffing mixture placing them in a baking tin and bake for 45 minutes or until the peppers are tender and slightly browned.

If you like a bit more cheese, about 5 minutes before they are done crumble some feta on top and let brown. Serve them warm.  

(Since I was also preparing a few other items for this dinner, I cooked these ahead of time and then warmed them right before serving.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you can see these are quite big and filling, so for a more proportional serving size as a side dish to your meat, fish or chicken, cut them in half. That was the case the night I originally made these.  We had so many other yummy offerings that there were left over peppers.  Do you hear me crying?  I think those are cheers of joy because...

 ...the next night we warmed them up and enjoyed the stuffed peppers with the left over roasted veggies and a fresh salad for dinner, and that was plenty.  Any way you cook it polenta pulled off another useful way to serve it up.

 

 

Harry's Pizzeria - Serving Up So Much More

A funny thing happened on our way to Chile. Our flight from NY to Miami had equipment issues. After much debate, delay, and finally a change of planes, our stop-over arrival was well past take off of our connecting flight.  So, we got sidelined with a pit stop in our old stomping grounds - Miami.  Perfect, since my hubby, Juan Carlos, and I have an apartment in the steamy, sunny city.  

Without a car and in the pouring rain, we "Uber-ed" ourselves out for a bite to eat at Harry's Pizzeria in the Design District, one of several successful eating establishments from chef, Michael Schwartz.  (There is a second Harry's location in Coconut Grove which we also visited)

The best way to cook almost anything, and Chef Michael does just that!

The best way to cook almost anything, and Chef Michael does just that!

Harry's Design District location

Harry's Design District location

With its wood burning oven, Harry's is a quaint little spot for the obvious main item; PIZZA.  

pizza-oven.jpg

As much as I love pizza, I don't eat it due to having both a wheat and yeast sensitivity. You might ask, "why would you torture yourself with the yummy, yeasty aromas and sights of others enjoying crisp, artisanal pizza?"  The answer; Harry's also offers daily menu specials that are equally amazing.  And on this day, one of the specials was Wood Oven Roasted Tile Fish with Fall Grain Salad.  Voilá, perfect for this rainy day in So. Fla.  Since we were going to take an overnight flight later on we wanted to fill our bellies with good food, real food... Real good food.  Here's what we ordered... And loved every bite.

Polenta Fries with spicy ketchup


Abundant and crunchy.  Soft inside with a serious outer crust. Sprinkled with sea salt enough to enhance the flavor but not too much to be salty. Really the perfect touch.  These fries are hefty but somehow don't overstuff you. The spicy ketchup was just spicy enough.  What a lovely detour from the usual potato version.

 

 

(I love making polenta in a variety of ways.  I will definitely be posting on those in the near future. However, I have never tried to make such a hefty polenta chunk.  After partaking of these crunchy fries, I will certainly try to replicate.)  

If you want to try making these, Chef Michael's cookbook shows you how. I have the book and have tried a few other recipes. I think you might enjoy it as well. You can also order an autographed copy.

 

Kale salad with goat cheese

Kale salad with goat cheese

 

 

 

 

Kale Salad


Hearty kale is mellowed by a sunflower dill dressing. Earthy flavor makes an appearance by the way of roasted beets and goat cheese.  Extra sunflower seeds provide a nice textural crunch. (By the way, we took some of this salad home.  The longer is sits the better it gets!)

Oven Roasted Tile Fish with Fall Grain Salad

Oven Roasted Tile Fish with Fall Grain Salad

Oven Roasted Tile Fish with Fall Grain Salad

This fish was outstanding.  Perfectly cooked and seasoned.  Roasted, in a brick wood oven, to a crisp exterior while preserving the delicate white fish interior.  The fall grain salad of rice, farro and bulgar wheat was a nice combo.  It was served with a garlic alioli.  However, both JC and I felt the dish didn't need it.  The fish and salad were perfect as is.

 

Oven Roasted Tile Fish with replacement Orange & Radish Salad

Oven Roasted Tile Fish with replacement Orange & Radish Salad

As I mentioned I avoid wheat, so I asked to replace the fall grain salad with the Orange & Radish Salad.  Since I make salads with ingredients like this all the time,  I'm usually a big fan of strong flavors and this one had that.  For the most part, I enjoyed it but must admit that, for me, it could have had one less ingredient.  That said, I ate it all.


In March, Juan Carlos and I were in Miami again, and again we wandered over to Harry's. First, we stopped into the one in Coconut Grove on a Sunday night. The place was hopping with people, families... and us!

Harry's Coconut Grove exterior on a Sunday night

Harry's Coconut Grove exterior on a Sunday night

Braised Fennel Pizza

JC couldn't resist ordering this earthy pizza.  I tried the topping and must say that braising the fennel brought out the anise flavor and soften the fennel creating a winning complement to the saltiness of the green olive.  

Fennel & Green Olive Pizza coming out of the wood oven

Fennel & Green Olive Pizza coming out of the wood oven

The very next day we went back to Harry's in the Design District for lunch.  This outing offered up:

Yes, that's right we ordered the Kale Salad and Polenta Fries... again to share.  I had the special of the day, Wood Oven Roasted Eggplant.

Kale Salad with Polenta Fries making an encore appearance

Kale Salad with Polenta Fries making an encore appearance

Wood Oven Roasted Eggplant

Wood Oven Roasted Eggplant

Big, thick slices of eggplant are deeply roasted to deliver a soft inside, almost creamy inside. Served over farro, smothered with stewed tomatoes and crumbles of feta cheese, I loved how comforting this dish felt.

JC and his business associate each had a bowl of the Yellow Jacket Soup special.  A medley of vegetables in a light tomato and fish broth with chunks of Yellow Jacket, a mild white fish.

They shared the Wood Oven Roasted Chicken Wings which were tender and tasty when dunked into the agrodolce & rosemary crema, the hot & cool balancing act of sauces. They finished them all up and moved on to...

Wood Oven Roasted Chicken Wings

Wood Oven Roasted Chicken Wings

Meatball Pizza

Meatball Pizza

The Meatball Pizza with it's perfectly thin, crispy crust covered in caramelized onions, peppers, escarole, cheese and of course, meatballs.  The sweetness of the onions and peppers played nicely off the savory notes of the meatballs and escarole.  

Another delightful, belly filled visit to Harry's. If you ever find yourself "stranded" in Miami on a layover, or just vacationing in the fun, sun city, do yourself a favor and frequent any one of the restaurants from Chef Michael Schwartz.  He and his teams are spot on with their food and flavors.  I highly recommend any of his  eateries.  His approach to food, atmosphere and service are exactly what he professes: Michael's Genuine

 

Although we know Chef Michael, this review was unsolicited.