While I was in China, Peter raved about this meal that he made twice in two weeks. TWICE! With a husband who loves to cook a new dish every day, I was intensely curious about this particular meal. I was even more shocked when I learned that my carnivorous husb was enjoying a vegetarian dish – veggies, grains, the like.
No. Way.
I knew we simply had to cook this meal again, soon. With a fridge full of veggies, we decided tonight was the night.
Polenta Gratin with Mushroom “Bolognese”
Adapted from Think Like A Chef
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp peanut oil
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 small yellow squash, chopped
3 garlic gloves, minced
3 cups mushrooms, any kind, chopped (We used white button and cremini)
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh thyme
1 cup veggie stock
Salt and pepper
Polenta:
1 cup cornmeal (polenta)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt
1/2 cup fresh-grated Parmesan
Heat peanut oil over medium heat in large skillet. Add onion, carrot, zucchini, and yellow squash and saute for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Toss in mushrooms and thyme and cook for three minutes, until mushrooms are soft. Add tomatoes and veggie stock and simmer the Bolognese until the sauce thickens, about 30 minutes. Set aside.
For the polenta, bring 4 cups water to a boil in a saucepan. Add a pinch of salt, then add polenta VERY slowly – a spoonful at a time, stirring well after each addition. Stir constantly while bringing the polenta to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook the polenta (stir occasionally) for about 30 minutes, until smooth. Stir olive oil into the polenta.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread half the polenta in the bottom of a 9″ x 9″ baking dish. Spoon 1/2 – 2/3 of bolognese onto polenta, then top with the rest of the polenta. Reserve the rest of the bolognese. Top the whole gratin with Parmesan and bake for 40 minutes. Turn the oven up to broil and brown the cheese for 3 – 4 minutes. Warm the reserved sauce and serve with the gratin.
Inhale!
I can see why Peter loves this dish – yum! The warm polenta is so filling, but not at all heavy. And stuffing the gratin full of veggies is a great way to enjoy them in a nontraditional way. Veggies can be filling!
While we were grocery shopping this weekend, I spied a new fruit that I’ve never seen in the flesh: mangosteen. I’ve seen the juice in fancy antioxidant blends, yet I was unprepared to see this unremarkable little purple fruit.
Mangosteens are about the size of a small apple and apparently are wicked hard to grow due to the temperamental mangosteen plant. Food companies have generated a lot of hoopla about the supposedly high antioxidant content of mangosteen. The fruit appears to have some antioxidant effects, although it’s not any more of a “miracle fruit” than any other delicious (and more easily-accessible) fruit.
Mangosteens have thick, extremely bitter hulls (trust me, I tried it and it tasted … whew :O ). The edible fruit is creamy white and segmented like an orange:
How did it taste? Like no other fruit I’ve ever tasted. It wasn’t as sweet as, say, an orange, but the flavor was a rich combination of lychees, strawberries, and plums. The flesh was super creamy … and gone in three bites!
Gussie says: give it a try! :)
Q: Have you ever tasted mangosteen? What’s the most unusual fruit you’ve ever tried?
Greetings to all of you! To continue my Jessie-is-in-China Awesome Guest Post Series (JCAGPS … juh-kag-pis?), I am thrilled to introduce Ameena of Fancy That … Fancy This! I’ve been reading Ameena’s blog for a while now and I’m ALWAYS laughing by the time I finish her posts. Check our her blog for the latest adventures with her husband and daughter, often involving good books and delicious food! Thanks for stepping in, Ameena! :)
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The Wonderful World of Masalas
Hello All…I blog about my attempts at being a good mother, wife, cook, and writer over at Fancy That … Fancy This. I am a big fan of The Happiness in Health and I am honored to be able to do a guest post for a sweet, kind person like Jessie. I am very impressed with Jessie’s commitment to eating properly at such a young age and I am sad to admit that unlike her I haven’t always been the healthiest eater.
Not too long ago I had a terrible habit of eating 6-7 brownie bites every single night! But thanks to my 5-year-old, my metabolism, my patience, and my free-time (among other things) are no longer what they used to be. So after my daughter was born I quickly realized that my choices were A. continue to overdose on sugar and gain tons of weight, or B. drop the brownies like a bad habit. Obviously I chose the latter and I am proud to say I haven’t looked back.
I am older now, and a tiny bit wiser, and so while Jessie enjoys life in China and we pretend not to be jealous of her amazing trip, I would love to share an easy and healthy recipe from a country not too far from where she is – India.
Growing up half-Indian was anything but a picnic. But I have to say that despite the strict father, the crazy Indian relatives, and the extremely uncomfortable clothes, the best thing about being Indian is the awesome and (mostly healthy) food.
Despite my mother’s continuous pleas throughout my teens that I learn to cook like a “good Indian wife should,” I’ve only recently started venturing into the wonderful world of masalas. And now that I have, I’ve quickly realized that Indian food doesn’t have to be difficult, as evidenced by this simple vegetarian recipe that takes about 20 minutes from start to finish.
Quick Indian-Style Mushrooms
8 oz. mushrooms (I used Cremini)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
1. Wipe the mushrooms with a damp cloth and slice thinly.
2. Heat the oil over medium heat, add the onion, and stir occasionally for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and stir another 2 minutes.
3. Add the spices and stir for another minute.
4. Add the mushrooms, salt, and tomato paste and combine well.
5. Reduce the heat to low, add the water, and cover for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Sprinkle with cilantro, serve over rice or quinoa, and top with yogurt and mango chutney.
If a person as challenged in the kitchen as me can handle this meal, you can do it too. So whenever you need an “Indian fix” give this recipe a try…I promise you won’t be disappointed!
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Thanks for the delicious recipe, Ameena! I’ve been intimidated by Indian food in the past because the dishes seem so complicated, but this recipe is proof that cooking Indian food does not have to be difficult. I think I’ve just been inspired to try making more Indian dishes :)
Q: Have you ever tried cooking Indian food? If so, what is your favorite Indian dish to make?
