1 April 2016

Grilled Polenta & Garlic Herb Greens




Whatever your plans were for the bank holiday weekend I hope you all had a wonderful time! I found out last minute that I actually had 4 days off work, so I booked a last minute train home and joined family and friends for Easter Sunday. I had the best time at home including a good old pizza and movie night with my mum and it was great to be able to relax for a few days! I love spontaneous adventures and whilst not completely crazy, it was refreshing to not have every minute mapped out for once!

Sometimes simple is best and this dish uses such simple ingredients to create the most amazing flavour. It's also incredibly easy to make, I used ready-made polenta for this recipe to save on time and show that healthy can be quick, easy and delicious. There's so many times where veg are just boiled or steamed and are then an under-appreciated part of the meal; this recipe demonstrates a simple way of enhancing the natural flavour of vegetables in a healthy and delicious way!





This next recipe can be eaten either as a starter or as a light lunch, the creamy and crisp grilled polenta pairs wonderfully with asparagus tips and green beans in a marinade of garlic, fresh parsley, lemon zest & juice, salt and pepper, lightly roasted for 5 minutes to infuse flavours but still retain that wonderful crunch you expect. 




Grilled Polenta & Garlic Herb Greens | Serves: 2 | Time: 20 mins


You'll need



  • Griddle Pan
  • Roasting tray
  • Chopping Board
  • Knife
  • Fine grater

Ingredients

  • 500g ready-made polenta
  • 100g green beans
  • 100g asparagus
  • Large handful parsley
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 unwaxed lemon, zest + 1tbsp juice
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  •  Pinch salt & pepper

Method

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C and put a griddle pan on a medium-high heat.
  2. Slice the polenta into 1 inch slices and place on the hot griddle pan for 5 minutes on each side, or until slightly charred. 
  3. To prepare the asparagus tips, cut a small amount of the dry end off and then slice into 3, remove the ends of the beans and cut in half, transfer to the roasting tray. Mince the garlic and add this to the roasting tray along with the zest of 1 lemon, 1 tbsp of the juice, 1 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Finely chop the parsley and also add this to the veg, then mix together to fully combine all the ingredients and place in the oven for 5-7 minutes.
  4. Serve up the veg with the polenta on the side, drizzle any of the remaining garlic-herb sauce over the polenta and enjoy! 
Cassidy xx

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