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Alrighty, so I want to get to this recipe and all, but first…
Can I rant/complain for like .89 seconds?
Ok, well it may take longer than that, but you know.
My family keeps sending me snapchats of all the things I am missing out on. Think laying in the sun by the pool, diving boards, BOUNCE houses (what the, what…no fare!), tubing on the lake, ice cream cakes, happy birthday songs, bike rides and basically all things summer… What am I doing??
Hanging in the rain, taking care of the goats and the chickens. Yes, I’ll admit I am totally having my own little pitty party right now. Just pass the tub of ice cream over please… and a blanket + a heater, cause it’s cold and rainy here in Colorado. Oh man.
Ok, pitty party over, at least the goats will hang with me.
Yikes.
Anyways, it’s honestly not as bad as I just made it seem, but like I’ve said in my last two posts, I am just missing my family a little bit. It’s cool though cause now I get all the food to myself.
Sharing was never one of my strong points anyway. Now I can have boat loads of creamy polenta, and all the eggs and summer veggies I want…grilled just the way I like um.
YES!
In all seriousness though, aren’t these caramelized farmers market veggies on herbed polenta kind of awesome?
I mean, I know there’s no meat, and that all the guys out there are probably disgusted in me big time (this includes pretty much all my brothers, their friends and then some), but this is so my kind of meal. It’s cozy, comfort food, but pretty healthy too, and chock full of summer produce. To me, meals like this are what summer is all about.
Simple, colorful and GOOD.
And umm, that browned harissa butter?
Just as amazing and dream worthy as it sounds.
The whole meal comes together pretty quick. While the polenta is cooking, you are grilling the veggies. Once you have the veggies cooked, it’s time to poach or fry those eggs (which are a MUST, you know how much I love a good egg).
Then you just put it all together. Oh but wait, you also HAVE to (like no excuses) brown some butter and mix it with some (preferably homemade) harissa. It’s a game changer guys.
No joke.
SO…dinner in around thirty minutes, full of healthy things (well, minus the butter, but shh…no one needs to know about that), killer use of summer produce and just all around awesome.
Yup, winner, winner dinner!
Caramelized Farmers Market Veggies On Herbed Polenta with Brown Harissa Butter.
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories Per Serving: 664 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry polenta
- 4 cups water or milk I like using 2 cups milk + 2 cups water
- 1/3 cup pecorino cheese grated (omit for vegan version)
- 1/2 cup fresh herbs (I used basil oregano, thyme, dill)
- 2 tablespoons butter omit for vegan version
- 1 bunch asparagus ends trimmed
- 2 in small zucchini sliced half long ways
- 2 in small summer squash sliced half long ways
- 1 inch eggplant sliced into 1/4 rounds
- 1-2 ears corn husk on
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4-6 poached or fried eggs for serving (omit for vegan version)
- edible flowers and fresh herbs for serving
Harissa Butter
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1-2 tablespoons harissa
Instructions
- To make the polenta. Pour the water and milk into a medium size saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and slowly whisk in the polenta. Cook, stirring frequently, until the polenta is soft and thick, about 15 to 20 minutes. Keep warm and then just before serving, stir in the pecorino cheese and butter and season with salt and pepper. If the polenta seems a little thick you can add a tablespoon more of butter, milk or water to thin.
- Meanwhile, preheat the grill to medium high heat.
- Add the asparagus, zucchini, summer squash, eggplant and corn to a large sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil, maple syrup, chili powder, salt and pepper. Toss well to coat. Place the veggies on the grill and grill for 5-10 minutes, turning once or twice throughout cooking. The veggies are done when light char marks begin to appear. Remove from the grill to a serving plate. Once cool enough to handle, remove the corn kernels from the cob.
- To make the harissa butter, melt the butter over medium heat in a medium size pot. When the butter begins to foam remove it from the heat and slowly add the harissa and whisk until smooth.
- To serve, divide the polenta among bowls. Top with the veggies and a poached egg. Drizzle with harissa butter and garnish with fresh herbs. Serve with extra harissa butter. Enjoy!
Notes
*Inspired by the My New Roots Cookbook by Sarah Britton.
Take that family. Bet you don’t even come close to eating something this awesome tonight. <–Truth…maybe unless they went out somewhere awesome… and then well, UGH.
That creamy polenta and harissa butter – game changers, I tell you! Love these polenta bowls!
Right?!? The harissa butter really seals the deal. Thanks so much Laura! Hope you are having the best week!
Oh I so love dinners like these. Wishing I were having this for dinner tonight! Really what a stunning dish!
Thanks Emily! I hope you get to make it soon and enjoy your night! 🙂
Oh my LORD! This is so beautiful! I am crazy about photos of polenta.. it’s kind of weird, but this is so my jam. Gorgeous grill marks, tons of veg, my goodness. This is fantastic. Well done! I can’t wait to try this.
xx Sydney
Haha! I get it, I love polenta!! Thanks Sydney!!
This sounds amazing! Such a perfect way to eat all the summer veg at once. And that harissa butter is the perfect finishing touch. Yay!
Thanks Eileen! Hope you had a great day!
I have a cold but I have to go to the store.
So I will be getting a roll of cornmeal mush and have eggs and mush for dinner (don’t really feel like cooking).
I have this recipe pinned for later.
Thanks for the dinner idea.
Thanks Nancy! Hope you feel better soon!
Brown butter harissa butter. My goodness…
hehe! 🙂
Thanks Nicole! Hope you are having a great week!
Yes, this is definitely all kinds of awesome!
Thanks Aida!! 🙂
OMG! This is sooo my kind of food. Wish I was alone at home so I could make something like this for myself. My siblings and dad would probably start a riot if I were to make something meatless.
Enjoy it while you can!
Haha! I know the feeling, but i’d just tell them to make their own food if they don’t like it! 🙂
Thanks!
This looks so hearty and filling! And I definitely feel your pain about the rain — DC has been having so many thunderstorms lately!
Thanks Heather! Hope the rain clears up soon for you!
Gorgeous! I love caramelized and roasted veggies!
Thanks Cassie!
Wish I could send you some of our weather. It’s hot hot hot here! And then in exchange, you could send me this polenta. YUM! 🙂
Oh I would SO love that!! If only we could do that!
Thanks Liz!
I LOVE THIS MEAL! I love everything about it – need to get to to the farmers market for some awesome veggies tho. Can’t wait to try this Tieghan! And btw, I could use some of your weather right about now – humidity is at about 90% here and it’s like breathing water.
OH my gosh! I so want your weather!! That sounds amazing!!
Thanks Kathy! Hope you enjoy the recipe!
That egg looks beyond amazing!!!
http://bloglairdutemps.blogspot.pt/
Thanks Miranda!
Oh man, I secretly love making polenta because I know the husband won’t go for seconds or leftovers! For once, a dish that is all mine! And with those caramelized veggies? Not sure there would be leftovers!
haha!! Thanks Meg! Hope you are having a great week!
Is it wrong that I am jealous that it’s cold and rainy in Colorado? It’s been 95 degrees here and I am DYING.
ANDDD, I’m dying over this caramelizy veggie polenta goodness…WITH Harissa butter. Seriously, this is AMAZING. Pinned!
Oh my gosh, can we please switch places!?!? That sounds amazing!!
Thanks Taylor!