Field greens with polenta, saga blue, and toasted walnuts
8 servings
Ingredients
| Quantity | Ingredient | |
|---|---|---|
| 1½ | cup | Water |
| ½ | cup | Yellow cornmeal |
| ¾ | 12-oz-wheel Baby Blue Saga cheese | |
| 1 | Large egg | |
| ¼ | cup | Milk |
| 1 | teaspoon | Salt |
| ¼ | teaspoon | Cracked black pepper |
| ⅓ | cup | Walnuts |
| 1 | teaspoon | Butter, melted |
| ½ | cup | Olive oil |
| ¼ | cup | Lemon juice |
| 1 | teaspoon | Sugar |
| 1½ | quart | Mesclun with nasturtiums and pansies or mixed salad greens, chilled until crisp |
Directions
1. Several hours or day before serving, prepare polenta: Oil an 8-inch-square baking pan. In 2-quart saucepan, com- bine water and cornmeal. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly.
Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Cut and remove a ¼-inch wedge of cheese from the piece; coarsely chop the wedge including rind. Wrap and refrigerate remaining cheese for use in step 7.
3. In a cup, beat egg until frothy; beat in milk. Add chopped cheese, egg mixture, ½ t salt, and the pepper to the warm cornmeal mixture. Cook, stiffing constantly, over medium heat until mixture bubbles. Pour into oiled pan. Set aside on wire rack 10 to 15 minutes to cool to room temperature; cover tightly and refrigerate until ready to prepare salad.
4. To prepare salad, heat oven to 400'F. Place nuts in a small baking pan and toast in oven 5 to 7 minutes or until edges start to brown.
5. Meanwhile, lightly oil a baking sheet. Cut polenta into 16 squares and place 1 inch apart on oiled baking sheet. Brush tops with melted butter. When walnuts have toasted, reset oven to broil; broil polenta squares 3 to 5 minutes or until tops are lightly browned.
6. To prepare dressing, in blender or small food processor, combine oil, lemon juice, 2 T of the toasted walnuts (select the smaller pieces), the sugar, and remaining ½ t salt. Process until smooth.
7. To serve, divide salad greens among salad plates. Slice remaining cheese into 16 equal-size wedges. Arrange 2 squares polenta alternated with 2 wedges cheese on top of greens. Divide remaining walnuts onto salads. Serve immediately with dressing.
Country Living/May/93 Scanned & fixed by DP & GG