Wednesday, April 1: Taco-Spiced Beans and Veggies over Cheesy Polenta
I had a spark of an idea for a sort of taco-spiced bean situation over cheesy polenta — and it turned out even better than I imagined!! I sauteed red onion, zucchini, bell pepper, black beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, and spices together until saucy and flavorful. Meanwhile I made a pot of polenta that I swirled a dollop of marscapone and a bunch of pepper jack cheese into to make it creamy and spicy and amazing. Topped the polenta with the veggie-bean mixture, and boom — a new favorite meal was created!
For the polenta:
Bring 4 cups chicken broth (or salted water) to a boil in a medium sauce pan. Slowly stir in 1 cup polenta (not instant), whisking constantly to make a smooth mixture and avoid lumps. Reduce heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer and cook 20-30 minutes stirring often to make sure it’s not sticking to bottom of the pot, until thickened, tender, and creamy. Add a dollop of marscapone and 1 cup (4 oz) grated pepper jack cheese. Stir to combine and melt. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. (If using instant polenta, adjust cook time and preparation based on package instructions; add cheeses when polenta is finished cooking.)
For the veggie-bean mixture:
While the polenta is cooking, make the topping. Saute a chopped red onion with a pinch of salt in a few TB olive oil over medium heat for about five minutes. Add one chopped medium zucchini and one chopped bell pepper (I used orange), and saute another 3-5 minutes. Next, add your spices: about 1 TB chili powder, 1.5 tsp cumin, 1.5 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, and a few shakes of cayenne and garlic powder; saute to toast the spices 1-2 minutes. Add 1 TB tomato paste, saute another 1-2 minutes. Add 1 can drained and rinsed black beans (white beans would also work) and 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (plus half a tomato can of water, swirled around can to pick up any remaining tomato bits), plus a big pinch of salt. Stir and simmer 10-15 minutes, adding more water as necessary to make a saucy consistency. Taste and season with additional salt or other seasoning.
To serve, spoon some of the creamy, cheesy polenta in a bowl and top with the saucy veggie-bean mixture.