Goat Cheese “Polenta” with Cherry Tomatoes
Polenta gets a big upgrade thanks to creamy goat cheese, oven-roasted tomatoes, and fresh basil, for a light and comforting summer dinner.
Serves4 to 6
Prep10 minutes
Cook25 minutes
About a year or two ago, I had an epiphany: I needed to make more polenta, especially when I was having people over. It’s so easy to make, and it takes on the flavor of whatever you fold in or sprinkle on top. So then and there I decided to add a recipe to my repertoire that highlights polenta along with three of my all-time favorite ingredients: goat cheese, cherry tomatoes, and basil vinaigrette. And when tomato season is over, I sub in caramelized mushrooms for the tomatoes to keep the party goin’ all year long.
A Twist on Traditional Polenta
While polenta is traditionally made using using cornmeal, this version changes this up a little bit. Instead, it starts with semolina flour, a coarse, pale yellow flour typically made from hard durum wheat. It’s regularly used for making pasta, bread, couscous, and also works well as a stand-in for cornmeal when making polenta. The result is a smooth, comforting bowl of “polenta” that picks up even more creaminess from tangy goat cheese, and cooks up in just minutes.
Goat Cheese "Polenta" with Cherry Tomatoes
Polenta gets a big upgrade thanks to creamy goat cheese, oven-roasted tomatoes, and fresh basil, for a light and comforting summer dinner.
Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 25 minutes
Serves 4 to 6
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
For the basil vinaigrette (makes about 1 cup):
- 1
medium shallot, roughly chopped
- 2 cups
tightly packed fresh basil leaves (stems removed)
- 1 clove
garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon
red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup
olive oil
- 2 tablespoons
red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon
kosher salt, plus more as needed
Freshly cracked black pepper
For the "polenta" and tomatoes:
- 2 pints
cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 cup
olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 3 cups
whole milk, plus more as needed
- 1 cup
semolina flour
- 4 tablespoons
(1/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
- 8 ounces
fresh goat cheese
Fresh basil leaves
Instructions
Make the basil vinaigrette: In a high-powered blender, combine the shallot, basil, garlic, red pepper flakes, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and salt. Blend for 1 minute, or until very smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Make the tomatoes and polenta: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss the tomatoes with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread into an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet and roast the tomatoes until just blistered and beginning to burst, about 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over medium heat, bring the milk to a simmer. Slowly whisk in the semolina flour. Continue whisking until thickened, about 2 minutes. If too thick, continue to add milk until you reach desired consistency. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter until melted, then add half of the goat cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Transfer the polenta to a serving bowl. Top with the blistered tomatoes, remaining goat cheese, and basil vinaigrette. Garnish with fresh basil.
Recipe Notes
Reprinted with permission from What’s Gaby Cooking: Eat What You Want: 125 Recipes for Real Life by Gaby Dalkin; Abrams Books, 2020.
Buy the book: What’s Gaby Cooking: Eat What You Want: 125 Recipes for Real Life, by Gaby Dalkin