Polenta with fresh corn and sweet peppers create a base for braised eggs, feta and baby spinach
Last version of finding inspiration I mentioned I rarely find a recipe in a cookbook or on a website that I follow because I am so inspired by what is available in the produce case I find it difficult to pull together a bunch of “out of season” ingredients. God forbid a raspberry from Ecuador in February would ever find its way to my Valentine Dinner! BUT recently while browsing the newest cookbook from a favorite author/chef I found a dish I had to make. (Well, my own version). I’m talking about a creamy polenta mixed with fresh corn and sweet peppers topped with eggs and feta cheese with a wilted baby spinach and hot sauce garnish. The finished dish was a welcomed first autumn evening Sunday supper.
Fresh corn and sweet peppers add the fresh brightness to our heirloom polentaSheep feta, butter and hot sauce all Sonoma County sourced.
In a heavy 4qt pan or Dutch oven over medium high heat stir together constantly 1 cup polenta and 4 cups of water with a teaspoon of salt until simmering. Stir for 5-8 minutes until the polenta starts to come together. Preheat your oven to 365 so it has time to get hot while you continue to prepare polenta on the stovetop. Lower heat and let slowly simmer for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Add 1 cup of fresh corn kernels and again slowly simmer another 10 minutes. Add 1 cup of finely chopped sweet or mild peppers again occasionally stirring another 10 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons of butter and taste for salt. Crack 4 eggs onto the top of your finished polenta and sprinkle with a couple of ounces of feta. Bake uncovered in hot oven for 8 minutes then turn on the broiler for the next 3 minutes until the yolks are just set. Remove from oven and sprinkle a handful of chopped baby spinach and cover with the lid. Serve with crusty bread and butter and a bottle of your favorite hot sauce.
