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Spinach and Blue Cheese Polenta with Slow-Roasted Tomatoes

Reprinted with permission from Root & Leaf: Big, Bold Vegetarian Food by Rich Harris, published by Kyle Books.

Course Main Dishes
Servings 4
Author Rich Harris

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
  • Sea salt
  • 500 g about 18 ounces baby San Marzano or baby plum tomatoes, halved lengthways

For the spinach and blue cheese polenta:

  • 600 g about 20 ounces large-leaf spinach, washed and stalks removed
  • 1.2 litres 5 cups Vegetable Stock
  • 200 g 7 ounces polenta
  • 40 g 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
  • 60 g 2 ounces Parmesan, finely grated
  • 150 g 5 ounces Dolcelatte Piccante or Roquefort, diced

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 120ºC/250ºF. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
  2. Whisk together the oil, garlic and a pinch of salt in a large bowl, add the tomatoes and toss to coat. Arrange the tomatoes, cut-side up, on the lined tray and roast for 
2 hours until soft and sticky.
  3. For the polenta, bring a large pan of water to the boil, add the spinach leaves and cook for 1–2 minutes until wilted. Drain thoroughly, then squeeze dry using plenty of kitchen paper. Roughly chop and set aside.
  4. Pour the stock into the spinach pan and bring to the boil, then whisk in the polenta, ensuring that you whisk constantly to prevent the polenta from turning lumpy. Reduce the heat and cook slowly, stirring regularly, for 30–35 minutes until the polenta has thickened and starts to pull away from the sides of the pan. Remove the pan from the heat, whisk in the butter and Parmesan and then fold in the spinach and blue cheese.
  5. Divide the polenta between four warmed serving bowls and top with the sticky roasted tomatoes.