Favorite vegan polenta recipe?

Question

I have several "tubes" of polenta from Trader Joe's, and I can't really figure out a good simple recipe for them, besides just frying them up and eating with tofu/tempeh.
Any favorites?

Answer 1

One of my favorite thing to do with homemade polenta is to use it as a cheese substitute on pizza! Since you've got the store bought stuff you'd need to thin it out with some water, you want a slightly runny texture to kinda sorta duplicate molten Parmesan cheese. Mix in some nutritional yeast and some extra salt to get even closer.

Is that enough or do you need more ideas ;-)

edit;
I got bored (first real day to enjoy my new unemployment) and decided to give you a few more 'fun' things I do with Polenta.

Make it soupy with either broth or 'milk', add corn kernels, some seasoning blend veggies (from the grocers freezer section or use fresh onion, bell pepper,celery and parsley) and (if on hand) diced potato and you've got quickie corn chowder.

Spread a thin layer of Polenta on the bottom of a ramekin, layer on some refried pinto beans (veggie of course), maybe a layer of chili (vegan) and top with another layer of Polenta on top, bake until it's all toasty warm for veggie chili pie. It doesn't hurt to add some chili powder to the Polenta for this one.

A little more work is to use the Polenta to make tamales instead of masa. I don't always mess with the corn husks or banana leaves but 'cheat' by using parchment paper cut into squares (approx. 10 inch). Adding some minced green chili peppers (canned work fine) to the Polenta and filling with black beans and tofu. Steam just like 'normal' tamales.

BTW; why buy the tubes? Polenta is just twice the liquid of whatever amount of cornmeal you've got (i.e. 2 cups water, 1 cup cornmeal). Bring the liquid to a rolling boil and gradually add the meal whisking constantly until thick (Italian grits). It'll keep for weeks in a cold fridge (months in the freezer) and you can even make it into your own tubes. Much cheaper than the 'ready to eat' (altho I buy the tubes sometimes when cooking at friends places).

Answer 2

Ratatouille is a really easy (and vegan!) recipe. It's really basic... also in baking, you can turn almost (almost) anything vegan if you replace things with like... vegan buttery spreads, alternative milks, egg replacers (there are in-home alternatives for eggs in baking but there is an actual product out there... you can find it in the organics section of grocery stores)... Vegan Planet is a really good cookbook to have, although a lot of the recipes are very exotic and require ingredients that are either sold at specialty stores or health food stores. BUT, it has great information all over the place about things vegans and vegetarians should know. Vegetarian Times is a great magazine with really cool and fairly simple recipes. And there are websites all over the place with vegan stuff... I'm sure you and Google could find something. ;-) RATATOUILLE (t'is tasty) Ingredients: * 1 medium sized onion, chopped * 3 cloves garlic, minced * 1 medium or large eggplant, diced * 2 cans stewed tomatoes (or 1 large can… depends on the size of the can you buy) * 2 medium zucchini diced into large chunks * 1 large green bell pepper, seeds and spine removed and cut into 1-inch strips * add herbs as desired (Italian herbs: rosemary, terragon, oregano, basil, etc…) * olive oil (enough to sauté onion/garlic) * salt and pepper to taste Directions: * Sauté the onion and garlic until tender * Add eggplant and tomatoes, bring to simmer * Simmer, covered for 15 minutes * Add zucchini * Simmer for 10-15 more minutes until vegetables are suitably soft * Remove from heat * Stir in the herbs, season to taste Serve over: * Rice * Egg noodles * Pasta, OR * Boiled, cubed potatoes

Answer 3

I'm probably gonna lose points for this, but I think that one lady with the long answer has some really good ideas!

Polenta is just good fried up with butter, or olive oil in a pan. I would just use it as a "side dish" rather than a whole meal.

Try eating polenta on the side with some vegetarian chili. Corn and chili go together well. I just cooked my baby son up some about an hour ago, just butter and polenta, he loved it.

But I also hear you can do other things. Polenta fried up with mozzerella on top. Or polenta with mozzerella and marina on top (unless you don't eat cheese, then scratch that). Polenta also goes well with beans on the side, any kind. Or try it with a spaghetti squash and marina.

I have seen fried polenta on salad before too (with drizzled with olive oil and lemon juice and garlic or something along those lines).

good luck yum!

Answer 4

You can make polenta with water and any manufactured product would be the same, When I was a chef in an Northern Italian style, Hotel restaurant, we only used water, if we were using it with a meat dish sometime we would make it with the according stock.

Our most popular item was a polenta, we made it with the coarser cornmeal, and serve it with an assorted mushroom ragu, deglazed with red wine and balsamic vinegar and fresh paramesan shaved on top.

But the vegan or vegetarian options are endless, any veg stewed with and sauce and serve with it, just like mashed potatos, they go with anything even grilled tofu.

Answer 5

I've seen (and had it at a very nice place) it with a meatless tomato sauce. I'd never heard the combo before, but it was really good.

Answer 6

Just to top the fried pieces with Parmesan cheese and dip into a delicious marinara sauce.

Answer 7

Don't have one, sorry. Yuck.