Crispy Polenta with Broccolini and Lentils
This meal is a great example of one of my favorite dinner formulas - a grain + a legume + a green vegetable. The twice cooked crispy polenta makes this one feel a little more special and elevated.
Crispy Polenta with Broccolini and Lentils
serves 4
for the polenta
3 cups water
sea salt
1 cup polenta
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
Bring the water to a boil in a medium pot, salt well. Once boiling, slowly stream in the polenta, whisking simultaneously. Lower the heat to low and let simmer, whisking often. Follow the package instructions for timing (some polenta is finer ground than others, so the cooking time varies - mine took 5 min, but it can take up to 30 min), cooking until soft.
Turn off the heat, add the nutritional yeast, plenty of pepper, and oil, stir everything in. Taste for salt and adjust if needed. Transfer the polenta to an oiled or parchment paper lined baking dish or loaf pan (the one I used is 9”). Let cool to room temperature, then transfer to the refrigerator and let set for at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 425° F (220° C). Invert the set polenta onto a cutting board, or lift it out of the dish using the parchment paper. Cut into desired shapes - you can cut into triangles, squares, or even skinny rectangles to make polenta ‘fries.’ Roast for 15-20 minutes, then flip the polenta and roast for another 15-20 minutes, or until crispy on all sides.
for the broccolini
olive oil
1 bunch broccolini or flowering broccoli, halved through the stems lengthwise
sea salt
2 cloves garlic, sliced
pinch chile flakes or to taste
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add enough oil to coat the bottom. Add the broccolini and a pinch of salt, stir to coat in the oil, and let sear for a few minutes, until bright green and browned in places. Add a splash of water, cover the pan, and lower the heat to medium. Cook until the broccolini stems are easily pierced with a knife. Stir in the garlic and chile flakes, let cook for a few more minutes, until the garlic is fragrant.
for the lentils
1 cup black or French lentils, rinsed
1 shallot, halved and peeled
sea salt
Add the lentils and shallot to a medium pot. Cover with water by about 1” and salt well. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until the lentils are cooked through but not mushy.
to assemble
Add the warm crispy polenta to the bottom of your serving plates, followed by the warm broccolini and lentils.
Intuitive Cooking Takeaways
The polenta can be further flavored with fresh or dried herbs or spices.
The broccolini cooking method that I laid out here can be used for all kinds of green vegetables, like broccoli, kale, collard greens, chard.
The lentils can be further flavored with other aromatics, like carrots, celery, bay leaves, peppercorns - whatever you have on hand! Feel free to use onions or leeks in place of the shallot as well.