polenta – My Whisk and I

Blood Orange Cake

September 2, 2024September 2, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

I made this cake with blood oranges but it can be made with regular oranges as well. You will need 6 oranges in total.

3 blood oranges, peeled and thinly sliced into rounds
15ml + 60g honey
75g butter, softened
1 blood orange, zested and juiced
3 eggs, separated
100g almond meal
90g polenta
200g ricotta cheese, drained
a pinch of salt
110g caster sugar
raw shelled pistachio nuts, to decorate
crème fraîche, for serving

Syrup:
150g caster sugar
2 blood oranges, juiced

Preheat your oven to 160℃ and line a 20cm cake tin with baking paper.
Layer the blood orange slices on the bottom of the tin, in two layers.
Drizzle the 15ml honey over and set aside.
Add the butter, 60g honey and orange zest to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Beat on high speed, until light and fluffy.
Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well between each addition.
Take the bowl from the mixer and fold in the almond flour, polenta, ricotta and orange juice. Set aside.
Add the egg white and salt to a clean bowl and beat until soft peaks form.
Gradually beat in the caster sugar until shiny.
Fold the egg whites into the ricotta mixture.
Spoon the batter onto the orange slices in the prepared cake tin.
Smooth the top and bake for 60 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

For the syrup:
Add the sugar and juice to a small saucepan set over medium-high heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Bring to the boil and cook until you have a light syrup – about 10 minutes.

Once the cake comes out of the oven, pour the syrup over and allow to cool.
Invert the cake onto a serving plate and remove the baking paper.
Decorate with a scattering of pistachio nuts and serve with crème fraîche.

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Polenta Baby Dutch Pancake with Beef Ragout

February 4, 2024February 3, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Ragout:
30ml vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, finely diced
500g cubed beef
50ml tomato paste
1 x 400g tin of chopped tomato
30ml Worcestershire sauce
30ml thyme leaves
500ml beef stock

Polenta Baby Dutch Pancake:
45ml butter
3 eggs
150ml cake flour
30ml polenta
a pinch of salt

For the ragout:
Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the onion and carrot. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring every now and then.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute.
Add the beef and cook until browned.
Add the tomato paste, chopped tomato, Worcestershire sauce and thyme and cook for another 2 minutes.
Pour in the stock and bring the beef to a low simmer.
Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated and you have beautifully tender beef covered in a thick sauce.

For the Baby Dutch:
Preheat your oven to 220℃.
Add the butter to a cast iron frying pan of about 24cm diameter and place the pan in the oven to heat up.
Add all the ingredients to a food processor or a suitable container for a stick blender and blend until the batter is completely smooth.
Open the oven door, swirl the hot butter around and up the sides of the pan and immediately pour the batter into the pan.
Close the door and bake for 20 – 25 minutes. Do not open the door before 20 minutes, the pancake won’t rise!!
Remove the pan from the oven and transfer it to a serving plate.

Spoon the ragout into the pancake and add some tomato and fresh spinach leaves on top.
Serve with a glass of crisp white wine.

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How to cook Perfect Polenta

March 25, 2023March 23, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

250ml raw polenta will feed two very hungry adults.

1 litre chicken stock
2,5ml salt
250ml polenta
45ml butter
125ml grated parmesan cheese

Place a saucepan on medium-high heat.
Pour in the chicken stock, add the salt and bring to the boil.
Slowly pour in the polenta while whisking. Keep whisking until there are no more lumps.
Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, while still whisking, until the polenta thickens.
Cover the saucepan with a lid and cook for a further 30 minutes. Whisk every 5 minutes or so.
Turn off the heat and stir in the butter and parmesan.
Cover the polenta with a lid and stand for a final 5 minutes before serving.

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Peanut-Corn Polenta

September 6, 2022September 5, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

2,5ml curry powder
2,5ml turmeric
2,5ml ground ginger
2,5ml onion seeds
2,5ml ground coriander
2,5ml ground cinnamon
83ml peanuts
3-4 corn cobs, kernels shaved off or 350g frozen corn kernels, defrosted
500ml (2x tins) coconut milk
500ml chicken/vegetable stock
2,5ml salt
250ml quick-cook polenta
a handful of parsley, chopped

Place a frying pan on medium heat and add about 45ml vegetable oil to it.
Add the curry powder, turmeric, ginger, onion seeds, coriander and cinnamon and cook while stirring, for about 2 minutes.
Now add the peanuts and stir them around in the spices for about a minute.
Add the corn kernels and stir-fry for another 3 minutes or so. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Pour the coconut milk and chicken stock into a saucepan and bring to a boil.
Add the salt.
Gradually whisk in the polenta, making sure there are no lumps.
Simmer, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes, until thick.
Stir half of the corn kernel mixture into the polenta.
Spoon on to a serving dish, spoon the rest of the corn on top and scatter with parsley.