A Simple and Tasty Raw Polenta Lunch

My mother was a fabulous cook…..she could make almost anything and she often made it from scratch. Many evenings Mom would spend a good two hours preparing our family dinners. We didn’t have small kitchen appliances like blenders and food processors so all the chopping, mixing and blending had to be done by hand. It was a lot of work. No wonder I grew up not liking cooking. My attitude changed once I started cooking myself. What started as a necessity became a hobby and ultimately a passion, sprouting in all directions from complex gourmet dishes to simple dishes like this one.

One extraordinary and simple meal my Mom would cook for us included Polenta. She often used it as a main course when there wasn’t two hours to spend on dinner; only you would never knew it. It was that good. Polenta was one of the very first foods I learned to cook Savoring My Plants Cooked Polenta Feast and it’s been a regular item on my menu since. But it wasn’t until recently that I decided to uncook this simple dish, using only fresh ingredients.

My mom had a special way of cooking the Polenta that turned out perfect each time. It never had clumps but retained its tantalizing texture. When she prepared it we couldn’t fill up our plates high enough with gravy and other assorted toppings. I remember loading up my plate so high I could barely see the Polenta underneath. It sure was a family pleaser considering how simple a dish it really was. I wanted to create a similar meal (and maybe even better?) minus the cooking, and use only fresh ingredients.

This Polenta recipe uses fresh yellow corn kernels (rather than ground up dried corn kernels) and yellow squash as the main ingredients. It tastes every bit as good as the cooked version and literally takes a few minutes to make. You simply process the ingredients and it’s ready to serve. The texture reminds me a little of mashed cauliflower, but the flavor is pure golden corn.

Fresh corn is loaded with antioxidants, phytonutrients, carotenoids, vitamin C, manganese and fiber. Although most think of corn as a starch, it’s also classified as a fruit. Botanically speaking, what we call grains (like corn, wheat and rice) are caryopses or the dried fruit of the plant. Others label corn a vegetable if it’s harvested early to be eaten fresh, and a grain if harvested only once it’s dried. Raw Polenta falls into the former description since it’s prepared from fresh corn.

One of the toppings we loved to pour over Mom’s Polenta was brown mushroom gravy. It was sort of an American touch to our European dish. The gravy was on the thinner juicier side but packed with so much flavor it almost dominated the plate. I created a similar version using fresh mushrooms, onion, garlic, cashew butter (or cashews) and a little seasoning. No cooking or simmering involved.

This gravy is true to its moniker “au Jus” in every way. It’s so good and so easy to make I can’t imagine ever cooking gravy again. Just blend and your savory delicious gravy is ready to serve. nosh nosh.

I needed some greens on my Polenta plate so I opted for cold weather veggies: red and black radishes, English cucumber, leeks, fresh dill, and parsley. Green and lean.

I used my mandolin to slice the veggies until I had a colander full of plant fare and the makings of a refreshing salad. The more the better. I love to combine colorful and contrasting ingredients. I know some say eating fewer foods at one meal is better, but for me having an assortment really works. I feel more nutritionally covered, especially since I don’t usually have a lot of time to eat.

Once the veggies were ready, I needed dressing. Peppered Pumpkin Seed Dressing. Doesn’t that sound exotic? It’s simply pumpkin seeds, lemon, garlic and seasoning. That’s it. But the flavor is complex and so creamy good.

This recipe is a combination of some great traditional European flavors in one fabulous dish. I hope you will enjoy this fresh approach to a great childhood meal, and my brief journey down memory lane.

This recipe is raw, dairy and gluten-free, and serves 2 – 4 persons.

A Simple and Tasty Raw Polenta Lunch

English Cucumber & Radish Salad:

1 English cucumber or cucumber of choice, trimmed
several radishes of choice, trimmed
1 small leek, trimmed
handful of chopped fresh parsley
handful of chopped fresh dill
handful of sprouts of choice (optional)
handful of shelled pumpkin seeds

Thinly slice the cucumber and radishes using a mandolin or other tool of choice. You can also chop into any shape you want.
Thinly slice the leek by hand.
Set vegetables aside or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Yields about 4 cups salad

Creamy Pumpkin Seed Peppercorn Dressing:

I like to make this on the sweeter side adding 1 Tbsp honey and 1/2 tsp green leaf stevia, however adjust sweetness and type of sweetener to taste.

3/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds, rinsed and drained
1 1/4 cups water
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cumin (optional)
1/8 tsp ground coriander (optional)
1/2 – 1 Tbsp coconut/palm sugar or honey or other sweetener of choice
1 tsp black peppercorns or 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp sea salt or to taste

Add all ingredients to a blender.
Blend until smooth.
Set aside or refrigerate until ready to use.
Yields about 2 1/4 cups dressing.
Can be stored refrigerated up to 5 days.

Polenta:

2 cups yellow corn kernels, fresh or completely thawed frozen
2 cups chopped yellow squash
1 – 2 Tbsp cashew butter
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 – 1/2 tsp ground white pepper

Add all ingredients to a food processor.
Process until well mixed and somewhat creamy.
Set aside or refrigerate until ready to serve. You can warm before serving.
Yields about 3 cups polenta.
Can be stored refrigerated up to 3 days.

Mushroom Au Jus:

Whipped Non-Dairy Butter can be substituted with 2 tablespoons cashew butter plus 2 tablespoons golden flax seed oil (or extra virgin olive oil).
The photos shows the gravy after it was gently warmed in a saucepan. It became darker in color than right out of the blender. Color will also vary according to what kind of mushrooms you use.

8 oz. crimini or white mushrooms or other mushroom of choice
4 Tbsp Whipped Non-Dairy Butter or use substitute above
1/3 – 1/2 cup water (depending on how thick you want it)
3 Tbsp finely chopped shallot or one medium-sized shallot
2 garlic cloves
3 – 4 Tbsp Nama Shoyu or Liquid Aminos or other savory sauce of choice
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Add all ingredients to a blender.
Blend until smooth.
Transfer to a gravy bowl or other bowl and set aside or refrigerate until ready to use. You can warm slightly but don’t overheat. Overheating or cooking will alter the flavor and texture.
Yields about 2 cups.
Can be stored refrigerated up to 5 days.

To Serve: