Cook the Book: Polenta Steaks with Asparagus Pesto, Cherry Tomatoes, and Burrata

Name: Cook the Book: Polenta Steaks with Asparagus Pesto, Cherry Tomatoes, and Burrata
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 680 grams fresh asparagus, trimmed; 946 milliliters water or chicken stock; 237 milliliters fresh mint leaves; 2 cloves garlic; 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved; 473 milliliters polenta or coarsely ground yellow cornmeal; 1 Juice of lemon; 946 milliliters milk; 227 grams burrata or mozzarella cheese, coarsely torn; 1 Tbsp olive oil; 118 milliliters grated Parmesan cheese; 79 milliliters pine nuts, toasted; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 Tbsps unsalted butter, plus extra for the baking dish

Cook the Book: Polenta Steaks with Asparagus Pesto, Cherry Tomatoes, and Burratan is a gluten free main course. This recipe serves 8. One portion of this dish contains about 23g of protein, 24g of fat, and a total of 489 calories. This recipe covers 26% of your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals. It is perfect for valentin day. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes around 1 hour. If you have salt, mozzarella cheese, juice of lemon, and a few other ingredients on hand, you can make it.

Instructions

Butter a 9 × 13-inch baking dish, and set it aside.

Ingredients you will need

Butter

Equipment you will use

Baking Pan

In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, bring the water and milk to a boil.

Ingredients you will need

Water

Milk

Equipment you will use

Dutch Oven

Add the polenta in a gentle stream, whisking as you pour. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to whisk the polenta until it has thickened, about 10 minutes.

Ingredients you will need

Polenta

Equipment you will use

Whisk

Add the butter and salt, and continue to whisk until most of the liquid has evaporated, about3 minutes.

Ingredients you will need

Butter

Salt

Equipment you will use

Whisk

Pour the polenta into the prepared baking dish, and smooth it with a spatula to make an even layer. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours or up to 2 days.

Ingredients you will need

Polenta

Wrap

Equipment you will use

Plastic Wrap

Baking Pan

Spatula

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Equipment you will use

Oven

Cut the polenta into 12 “steaks,” and pat each one dry with a paper towel (there may be some condensation from the fridge).

Ingredients you will need

Polenta

Steak

Equipment you will use

Paper Towels

Brush both sides of each polenta steak with olive oil.

Ingredients you will need

Olive Oil

Polenta

Steak

Place the steaks on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the tops have browned.

Ingredients you will need

Steak

Equipment you will use

Baking Sheet

Oven

Meanwhile, prepare the pesto: Bring a pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Blanch the asparagus in two batches until bright green and just tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Use tongs to transfer the asparagus to an ice bath, or put them in a colander and rinse under cold water.

Ingredients you will need

Asparagus

Pesto

Water

Ice

Equipment you will use

Colander

Tongs

Pot

Drain.

Cut the asparagus into 1-inch pieces. Put 2 cups of the stalk pieces in a small food processor, reserving the tips.

Ingredients you will need

Asparagus

Equipment you will use

Food Processor

Add the mint, garlic, lemon juice, pine nuts, olive oil, and salt, and pulse.

Ingredients you will need

Lemon Juice

Olive Oil

Pine Nuts

Garlic

Mint

Salt

Add 1/3 cup water, and pulse until the mixture has the consistency of pesto.

Ingredients you will need

Pesto

Water

Mix in the Parmesan, and taste for seasoning.

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Seasoning

Parmesan

Place the reserved asparagus tips in a mixing bowl, and toss with the tomatoes, burrata, olive oil, and salt.

Ingredients you will need

Asparagus

Olive Oil

Tomato

Burrata

Salt

Equipment you will use

Mixing Bowl

To serve, place a warm polenta steak in the center of each plate, and top it with a generous dollop of pesto and a spoonful of the cherry tomato topping.

Ingredients you will need

Cherry Tomato