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Herbed Polenta with Balsamic Roasted Tomatoes & Macadamia Ricotta (vegan/gluten free) | seasonal plant-based recipes via the Sweet Miscellany Blog

Summer tomatoes are roasted in the oven with balsamic vinegar to draw out and caramelize their natural sugars. These sweet and tangy roasted tomatoes are served atop a pillowy bed of herb-flecked polenta and topped with a dollop of creamy homemade macadamia ricotta. This dish is a true celebration of the summer season!

And now for a little haiku appetizer before we get to the recipe 🙂

round and oblong orbs

hanging heavy on the vine

tomato season

Herbed Polenta with Balsamic Roasted Tomatoes & Macadamia Ricotta

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Author: Courtney
Total Time: 50-55 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Diet: Vegan

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Description

Ripe summer tomatoes are roasted in the oven with balsamic vinegar to draw out and caramelize their natural sugars. These sweet and tangy roasted tomatoes are served atop a pillowy bed of herb-flecked polenta and topped with a dollop of creamy homemade macadamia ricotta. This dish is a true celebration of the summer season!

Ingredients

for the macadamia ricotta

1 cup raw macadamias
1 1/2 tbsp nutritional yeast
zest and juice of 1 small lemon
scant 1/2 tsp finely ground sea salt
1/2 cup water

for the balsamic roasted tomatoes

quart of small tomato varieties such as cherry, grape, or plum (I did a mix of Sungold and Juliet varieties)
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
finely ground sea salt to taste (I used between 1/4 and 1/2 tsp)

for the polenta & assembly

1 can of full fat coconut milk
2 cups water
1 large garlic clove, grated with a microplane or very finely minced
finely ground sea salt to taste, about 1 tsp
1 cup dry polenta (I used this one from Barton Springs Mill made with Texas-grown red corn)
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives, plus extra for garnish
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh basil, plus extra for garnish

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Instructions

Start the ricotta either the night before or the morning of the day you’d like to make the dish. Cover the macadamias with water and allow them to soak at room temperature for 4-6 hours. Once they’ve soaked, drain and rinse them and add them to a blender along with the remaining ingredients. Blend until thick and creamy. Taste and add more salt if needed. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. This can be made in advance if needed.

To make the roasted tomatoes, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Cut your tomatoes in half and add them to a large baking dish (at least 9×13 or larger). Drizzle the tomatoes with the vinegar and oil and sprinkle with the salt. Mix the tomatoes so that the ingredients are evenly dispersed. Roast the tomatoes in your preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until they are soft and the edges are beginning to caramelize.

While the tomatoes are roasting, you can make the polenta. Add the coconut milk and water to a pot and set it over medium heat. While the liquid is coming to a simmer, add the garlic and the salt. Once the liquid reaches a simmer, gradually whisk in the polenta. Keep whisking until the polenta starts to thicken and sputter (this will take about 5-7 minutes). Once this happens, turn the heat down to low and cover the pot. Set a timer and let the polenta cook for 15 minutes covered then remove it from the heat. Stir in the fresh herbs then taste the polenta and add more salt if needed.

To serve, ladle a healthy portion of polenta into each bowl. Spoon a heap of the roasted tomatoes and their juices on top, then finish with a dollop of the macadamia ricotta. You can add a sprinkle of fresh basil and/or chives on top if you like.

Notes

Make sure you factor in time to soak the macadamia nuts! If you want you can make the ricotta a day or two in advance if that helps to streamline things. As for the tomatoes and polenta, once you get the tomatoes in the oven, get to work on the polenta and it should be done around the time the tomatoes are.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35-40 minutes

Summer Squash Galette with Creamy Roasted Garlic & Cannellini Bean Filling (vegan/gf recipe) | seasonal plant-based recipes via The Sweet Miscellany Blog

A buttery vegan and gluten free crust forms the base for this galette with thinly sliced summer squashes and a creamy cannellini bean filling. Garlic, lemon, and basil lend delicious flavor and amplify the summer vibes in this vegan and gluten free main dish!

I’m sitting on my bed watching something on Netflix I’ve already watched before, most likely half zoned out and half paying attention to the familiar dialogue. And then it hits like a tiny but very potent bolt of lightning: a buttery crust enveloping a creamy white bean filling flavored with roasted garlic and basil that is carefully covered with thin slices of summer squash fanned in a concentric pattern. I immediately paused whatever I was watching a made a note so I wouldn’t forget this fleeting idea that decided to grace me with its presence.

It’s kind of funny how ideas come and go. I used to keep idea journals back when I was developing recipes for Sweet Miscellany. I’d keep one handy so that I could write down a culinary idea or random flavor pairing if it came to me. I recently came across a couple of old ones from about ten years ago and delighted in seeing some of what I had written down. Some of it materialized into baked goods and jams while some of it never made it further than pen on paper.

I’m happy to report that the idea that came to me while I was absentmindedly watching Netflix ended up materializing into what you see here. And, it ended up being one helluva delicious recipe. Hopefully, it makes its way onto your table at some point during summer squash season (which we are knee-deep in at the moment in Houston!).

Before I get to the recipe, just a quick note of encouragement to seek out your local farmers for the summer squash and basil. My squash came from Harvest Green Village Farm and the basil from my backyard 🙂

Summer Squash Galette with Creamy Roasted Garlic & Cannellini Bean Filling

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Author: Courtney West
Total Time: 50-55 minutes
Yield: 1 galette
Diet: Vegan

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Description

Ingredients

for the crust:

180g all purpose gluten free flour (I use this one), plus a bit more for rolling out the dough
scant 1/2 tsp sea salt
120g cold vegan butter, diced
60g ice water, plus more as needed

for the filling:

1 can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 whole head of roasted garlic (see notes)
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp of mellow miso paste (I used chickpea miso)
3 tbsp of nutritional yeast
1 tbsp of olive oil
1 tbsp of minced fresh basil
salt as needed to taste (I ended up not having to add any)
2 summer squash, thinly sliced into rounds (you want them between 1/16 and 1/8 inch thick)
freshly cracked black pepper
flaky sea salt, to serve

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Instructions

Make the crust first. Combine the salt and flour then add the butter and cut it in with your fingers (or a fork or pastry blender). Once it looks crumbly and sandy, slowly add the ice water a little at a time, gently mixing as you go. The dough should come together in a soft, cohesive ball. If it looks too dry and crumbly, add a splash or two more of the ice water. Once your dough is ready, pat it into a round, cover it with wax paper or plastic wrap, and park it in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.

While the dough is chilling, make the cannellini bean filling. Using a sharp knife, remove and discard the root end of your roasted head of garlic. Squeeze the head to encourage all of the roasted cloves to separate from the papery skins. Add all of the roasted garlic cloves to a bowl along with the beans, lemon juice and zest, miso, nutritional yeast, olive oil, and basil. Mash the mixture until the beans have broken down and it looks thick and creamy. Taste the filling and add salt if needed.

After the dough has rested for 30 minutes, pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees. Remove your dough from the fridge. Lay down a piece of baking parchment the size of a large baking sheet (or a silicone baking mat if you use one). Sprinkle it lightly with flour, then roll your dough into a circle that is roughly 12 inches in diameter. It’s okay if the edges are rough because we’ll be folding them! Transfer your baking parchment (with the dough on it) carefully to your baking sheet.

Time to assemble! Spread your white bean filling over the dough in an even layer leaving a 1 1/2 to 2 inch border around it. Fan the thin slices of summer squash evenly across the surface of the filling (see the photos for reference). Sprinkle the surface of the squash with freshly cracked black pepper but do NOT sprinkle with salt yet as it will draw out more moisture from the squash and keep it from caramelizing in the oven. Begin to fold up the sides of your dough around your filling, moving a section at a time. Once you’re done, put the galette in your preheated 400 degree oven.

Bake the galette for 35-40 minutes or until the crust is golden and the squash are soft and beginning to caramelize around the edges. Once you’ve removed it from the oven, let it cool at least 10 minutes before serving. To serve, add a sprinkle of your favorite flaky sea salt.

Makes one galette that is approximately 8 to 9 inches in diameter. Store leftovers in the fridge.

Notes

The filling requires the use of an entire head of garlic that has been roasted ahead of time. You can do it the day before or several days before if you like. Just pop it in the fridge until you’re ready to use it! To roast, simply set the whole head on a baking sheet and pop it in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove and cool before using.
Use any varieties of summer squash that you like! I used a Dunja zucchini and a Zephyr yellow squash.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
Category: Main