Polenta cakes with sautéed Swiss chard

Posted January 21, 2010

This is a beautiful side that combines your vegetable and starch. I used a ready-made polenta, which makes this dish just so easy and really saves a lot of prep time. If you want to make your own polenta, go for it. When it's ready, grease a large casserole dish or jellyroll pan and press the polenta into the pan. Bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes. You want to get rid of a lot of the moisture to have little cakes. Then cut the polenta into the shape of your choice. You could forget making the cakes and just serve the Swiss chard over creamy polenta. I just like the look of the chaotic chard tumbling off of the orderly little polenta cakes.

Polenta cakes with sautéed Swiss chard -- prep time: (using ready-made polenta) 30 min.; serves 6

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 roll ready-made polenta

1 bunch Swiss chard

3 cloves garlic, minced

splash of dry vermouth or dry white wine (optional)

juice from 1/2 lemon

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Remove the polenta from plastic wrap. Slice into 12 rounds. Heat up a griddle or indoor grill. Grease surface well with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Polenta will stick! Grill the rounds for a few minutes on each side. Remove polenta cakes to a dish and keep warm in oven set to 200°.

Wash the Swiss chard thoroughly. Separate leaves from ribs. Chop ribs and begin to sauté with garlic in 2 tablespoon olive oil.

Meanwhile, chop the leaves roughly -- not too small, just small enough to be manageable on a fork.

Don't let the ribs and garlic burn. So check them occasionally while chopping the leaves. Add the vermouth or dry white wine to finish sautéing.

When you're done chopping the leaves, add them to the ribs. Sauté for a few minutes -- until leaves are wilted. Add lemon juice and salt and black pepper to taste.

Remove polenta cakes from oven. Place two cakes on a plate (for one serving) and top with some chard. Serve warm.