by Jyoti Jain
This creamy polenta is gluten free, vegan and quick to make. Bursting with the goodness of summer’s fresh cranberry beans and flavorful cherry tomatoes this hearty dish scores at the family lunch or dinner table every single time! Picked these gorgeous looking cranberry beans up from the farmers market last weekend.
These beauties are pink-flecked when fresh, delicious and creamy when cooked, though they lose their gorgeous coloring on cooking. Combine them with grains and greens for a hearty summer salad or use them in soups and stews.
Make this quick and easy summer polenta today!
Ingredients
For the fresh cranberry beans:
2 cups fresh cranberry beans, shelled
2 cups water
½ tsp sea salt
For the blistered cherry tomatoes :
1 pint cherry tomatoes (red and yellow)
For the polenta:
2 cups polenta grits
6 cups water
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
½ teaspoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon black pepper
Additional toppings:
½ cup green olives, sliced
3 tbsp vegan parmesan cheese (optional)
2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
Directions
Shell the beans and then cook them in water for 20 min till tender.
Spread the cherry tomatoes in a sheet pan and roast in oven at 350 degrees for 30 min until blistered.
Bring the water to a boil. Add salt. Whisk in polenta and cook till cornmeal thickened (around 10 min). Take off the stovetop and add dried parsley and black pepper. Drizzle with olive oil
Serve warm topped with cooked cranberry beans, blistered tomatoes, green olives, vegan parmesan cheese and basil leaves.
Cook the polenta. Drizzle with olive oil and serve warm topped with cooked cranberry beans, blistered cherry tomatoes, sliced green olives, vegan parmesan and fresh basil leaves.