As promised, here is the 2nd recipe of the week and my ‘Star of the Brunch’ from last weekend. I really liked this one, and NO…it’s not just because it has bacon. (But of course bacon is one of my favorite vegetables!)
The polenta can be prepared two days in advance, so once you are ready to go forward with making this, the whole thing comes together quickly.
This was a great brunch dish, but since the whole thing is sitting on a bed of baby spinach I guess you could use this for just about any light meal.
Hope you enjoy the recipe and I would appreciate any feedback if you give it a try.
The polenta can be prepared two days in advance, so once you are ready to go forward with making this, the whole thing comes together quickly.
This was a great brunch dish, but since the whole thing is sitting on a bed of baby spinach I guess you could use this for just about any light meal.
Hope you enjoy the recipe and I would appreciate any feedback if you give it a try.
Software:
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
1/4 cup minced green onions (most is for polenta but reserve about ½ tablespoon for the vinaigrette)
3 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup instant polenta
1/2 cup (packed) shaved Parmesan cheese (you could use grated but shaved will give you a creamier texture)
2 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
8 thick slices smoked bacon (you have to go with the thick-cut stuff)
6 ounces grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese
6 ounces grated Gruyère cheese
4 large eggs
4 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Fresh ground pepper
4 cups baby spinach or any salad greens of your choice
1/4 cup minced green onions (most is for polenta but reserve about ½ tablespoon for the vinaigrette)
3 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup instant polenta
1/2 cup (packed) shaved Parmesan cheese (you could use grated but shaved will give you a creamier texture)
2 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
8 thick slices smoked bacon (you have to go with the thick-cut stuff)
6 ounces grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese
6 ounces grated Gruyère cheese
4 large eggs
4 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Fresh ground pepper
4 cups baby spinach or any salad greens of your choice
Hardware:
4 - 4.5 oz ramekins (3 ½” diameter)
medium baking sheet pan
1 oven-proof cooling rack {must fit in the sheet pan}
2 small mixing bowls
whisk
medium baking sheet pan
1 oven-proof cooling rack {must fit in the sheet pan}
2 small mixing bowls
whisk
Preparation (Polenta) –
1. Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add most of the green onions and stir until wilted, about 1 minute. (Remember to reserve some of the onions for scattering on the spinach.)
3. Add 3 cups water and salt to saucepan.
4. Raise heat to high and bring mixture to boil.
5. Gradually whisk in polenta. (If you add the polenta too fast and you will get clumps. If this happens, dial back the heat and smash the clumps as best you can, and then dial the heat back up to high. The lumps that are left should bake out later.)
6. Bring polenta to boil, but as soon as you get there, reduce heat to low and simmer. (If you boil too long the polenta will get gummy, so try to get the heat to simmer as soon as you get to a boil.)
7. Simmer until thick and creamy, stirring occasionally, about 13 minutes.
8. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese and 1 tablespoon of the thyme.
9. Season with salt and pepper.
10. Cool to lukewarm. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead.)
11. Cover and refrigerate (Polenta will become firm.)
2. Add most of the green onions and stir until wilted, about 1 minute. (Remember to reserve some of the onions for scattering on the spinach.)
3. Add 3 cups water and salt to saucepan.
4. Raise heat to high and bring mixture to boil.
5. Gradually whisk in polenta. (If you add the polenta too fast and you will get clumps. If this happens, dial back the heat and smash the clumps as best you can, and then dial the heat back up to high. The lumps that are left should bake out later.)
6. Bring polenta to boil, but as soon as you get there, reduce heat to low and simmer. (If you boil too long the polenta will get gummy, so try to get the heat to simmer as soon as you get to a boil.)
7. Simmer until thick and creamy, stirring occasionally, about 13 minutes.
8. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese and 1 tablespoon of the thyme.
9. Season with salt and pepper.
10. Cool to lukewarm. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead.)
11. Cover and refrigerate (Polenta will become firm.)
Preparation (Bacon Vinaigrette) –
12. Preheat oven to 400 F.
13. Arrange bacon on cooling rack and place rack on baking sheet
14. Bake for about 12 minutes or until bacon is just beginning to brown but is still pliable.
15. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain and cool slightly.
16. Drain bacon drippings from sheet pan and wipe down with paper towel, but reserve 2 tablespoons bacon drippings and put in small mixing bowl.
17. Add olive oil to drippings.
18. Add vinegar to second mixing bowl and slowly drizzle in bacon dripping/olive oil mixture, whisking constantly in order to make an emulsion.
19. Add ½ tablespoon of reserved minced green onion and set aside. (Do not refrigerate!)
13. Arrange bacon on cooling rack and place rack on baking sheet
14. Bake for about 12 minutes or until bacon is just beginning to brown but is still pliable.
15. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain and cool slightly.
16. Drain bacon drippings from sheet pan and wipe down with paper towel, but reserve 2 tablespoons bacon drippings and put in small mixing bowl.
17. Add olive oil to drippings.
18. Add vinegar to second mixing bowl and slowly drizzle in bacon dripping/olive oil mixture, whisking constantly in order to make an emulsion.
19. Add ½ tablespoon of reserved minced green onion and set aside. (Do not refrigerate!)
Preparation (The Dish) –
20. Line sides of ramekin with 1 slice of bacon each, forming collar.
21. Cut 2 slices of bacon in half and place in bottom of ramekin to form an ‘X’.
22. Divide polenta among cups and fill each cup to about ¾ full.
23. Firmly press polenta over bottom and up sides of bacon.
24. Mix cheeses in bowl and sprinkle ¼ of cheese mixture over polenta in each cup.
25. Crack 1 egg into center of each cup.
26. Sprinkle eggs with remaining thyme and black pepper.
27. Transfer cups to baking sheet and bake until egg whites are almost set, about 20 minutes. Let eggs stand at room temperature 5 minutes (eggs will continue to cook).
28. Evenly distribute spinach on 4 salad or dinner plates.
29. Drizzle vinaigrette on salads.
30. Run small sharp knife around edge of the ramekins; tilt cups and slide bacon, polenta, and egg onto salad and serve slightly warm.
21. Cut 2 slices of bacon in half and place in bottom of ramekin to form an ‘X’.
22. Divide polenta among cups and fill each cup to about ¾ full.
23. Firmly press polenta over bottom and up sides of bacon.
24. Mix cheeses in bowl and sprinkle ¼ of cheese mixture over polenta in each cup.
25. Crack 1 egg into center of each cup.
26. Sprinkle eggs with remaining thyme and black pepper.
27. Transfer cups to baking sheet and bake until egg whites are almost set, about 20 minutes. Let eggs stand at room temperature 5 minutes (eggs will continue to cook).
28. Evenly distribute spinach on 4 salad or dinner plates.
29. Drizzle vinaigrette on salads.
30. Run small sharp knife around edge of the ramekins; tilt cups and slide bacon, polenta, and egg onto salad and serve slightly warm.
Presentation –
My presentation {see above} was a bit more than the recipe called for. I garnished the salad with some of the minced green onion I saved, some bacon crumbles, a teaspoon of sharp cheddar and then I set a couple slices of fresh lemon on the side. Nice!
