CREAMY POLENTA AND BALSAMIC ROAST CARROTS

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

- 200G Polenta

- 750ml water

- 250ml milk (plant based also works just fine)

- a hand-full of grated cheese of your choice (I like mozzarella, provolone doce or parmesan)

- 50g butter

- salt and pepper to taste

- grated nutmeg

- herbs such as sage or basil (optional)

- Carrots

- salt

- garlic

- olive oil

- thyme

- balsamic vinegar

METHOD:

For the polenta:

In a saucepan, heat up the water and milk; be careful not to let it boil over.

Once the water is boiling, pour in the polenta and stir on low heat until there are no more grains and its become creamy and smooth.

In a another small pan, melt the butter and fry the herbs you may be using in it, then add everything to the polenta.

Add the cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg and stir until all the cheese has melted.

For the Carrots:

preheat oven to 180C

Cut the carrots however you like, I like in quarters.

In a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic then mix all remaining ingredients.

Coat the carrots in this little mixture then roast until golden, maybe 20-30 minutes depending on your oven.

How to eat this:

You can have this as a side for any roast days, steak and veg nights, roast chicken. An easy and quick night in polenta, roast veg and some fried eggs.

With a nice cut of fish such as salmon.

Think anything you could eat with mash potato, you can eat with polenta.

Change it up!

- Optional additions: fry half an onion and/or some garlic in the butter and herbs.

- use less water if you prefer a stiffer polenta or even to let it set and make polenta chips later on by putting them in the oven or deep frying it.

- Carrots, you can use any vegetable you like.

- Thyme, you can swap for rosemary or fennel seeds.

- Balsamic Vinegar: optional

Smiles Vic