Have I ever told you how well I love cornmeal? Naturally gluten-free, and inexpensive to boot. What more could a girl ask for? This quick and easy tomato recipe is a bit more exciting than plain workaday polenta, but you can still make it without breaking a sweat. Parmesan cheese is a bit of a stretch on a budget, but it is so incredibly flavorful, that a little goes a long way. And once the cheese is gone, save the rind and add to the pot when you make soup for incredible depth of flavor. Just remember to remove the rind before serving.
Tomato Polenta
Ingredients
1 cup milk (lowfat is fine, nonfat is not)
1 28 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus more for topping)
1. Remove the tomatoes from the can, chop them roughly, then set them aside. In a large saucepan, warm the milk over medium heat until simmering gently. You don’t want it to boil. Add the chopped tomatoes with their juice, plus the salt, to the pan, and stir to combine. The acid in the tomatoes may cause the milk to begin to curdle. This is no problem.
2. Continue to heat the tomato and milk mixture until it returns to simmering. Once the liquid is simmering, add the cornmeal in a slow but steady stream, whisking constantly, making sure there are no lumps. Reduce the heat to low, and continue to whisk until the mixture thickens, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese until it is fully incorporated and melted.
Serve with a few extra shavings of Parmesan cheese. You won’t believe how rich this dish is with so few ingredients. But believe it, baby.
Warmly,
Nicole
Don't miss a recipe! Stay connected. Enter your email address: |
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
I am also lactose free…I find a lot of gluten free ppl are… can this be substitued with soy milk or rice milk and still turn out yummy??
Thanks
Hi, Josie,
Yes, yes, absolutely! You can absolutely substitute any sort of nondairy milk at all, and it will still be lovely. Just nothing nonfat!
I hope that’s helpful.
Warmly,
Nicole
A parmesan rind that had been boiled in soup was my favorite part of the soup! It gets very mushy and gooey and wonderful. Try it sometime :)
Hi, Catie,
I have been tempted before, but I have never tried it. Next time I will!
Warmly,
Nicole
YUM!!! Just made these and took my first bite. Nice! Had my two kiddos help me make them. YUM YUM YUM! I have a cooking recipe site as well and I??d like to exchange links with you. Let me know if this is possible. Thanks.
Wow, that was amazing. I’d had polenta a couple of times in restaurants, but I’d never made it myself before trying your recipe. It’s cheap, easy, and incredibly tasty–what more can you ask? Thanks for sharing!
Hi, Kristen,
You can modify it a million different ways, too. It’s a great thing to have in your repertoire. Thanks for posting!
Warmly,
Nicole
This was great! However, 1 and 1/2 cups corn meal is far too much. You really only need 1/2 cup for 1 cup of milk.
Courtney,
The liquid in the canned tomatoes needs to be balanced, but of course feel free to modify the recipe to your tastes.
Nicole
YUM!!! Just made these and took my first bite. Nice! Had my two kiddos help me make them. YUM YUM YUM! I have a cooking recipe site as well and I??d like to exchange links with you. Let me know if this is possible. Thanks.
{ 1 trackback }