SERVES:
4 - 6
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup cornmeal
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup diced onion
2 Tbs vegetable oil
1 medium zucchini deseeded and diced (see procedure)
3 - 4 large ears corn, kernels removed
one 15-ounce can red beans, well drained
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for optional garnish
PROCEDURE:
Get started by bringing 4 cups of broth plus 1/2 cup water to a simmer in a large deep, heavy bottomed stainless steel pot.
Once it comes to a simmer slowly whisk in 1 cup of cornmeal and turn the heat to the lowest setting.
You'll want to use a wooden spoon the stir the polenta occasionally, it's going to take around 25 minutes to cook.
While you're keeping your eye on that, dice about 1/2 cup onion, grate about 1 cup of parmesan cheese, quarter one medium zucchini lengthwise, deseed it and dice that and also remove the kernels of corn from 3 - 4 large ears of corn.
Once the polenta is close to being done, add a splash of vegetable oil to a large heavy bottomed pan and saute the onion to soften.
At that point, add the zucchini and corn and cook that along until it's tender crisp.
Then add one well drained 15-ounce can of red beans, cook those along to warm through and turn the heat off.
Season that to taste and, once the cornmeal polenta is soft to the tooth, go ahead and stir in the one cup of grated parmesan cheese and it's time to eat.
HINTS:
If you have one burner that goes to a lower setting than the others cook the polenta on that. You may have more than enough polenta for 4 - 6 people so refrigerate leftover and reheat in microwave.
Feel free to add some fresh chopped basil or parsley to the vegetables.