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Crispy Polenta Fingers with Tomato Pepper Sauce

Serving Size - 7
Prepared By - DnD
Recipe Rating
* * * * * 		Printer Friendly Recipe

3 cups water
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 C plus 2 tablespoons polenta
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
Ground black pepper to taste
1 large red bell pepper (capsicum), roasted and peeled
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 C heavy (double) cream
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 1/2 C Flour
Olive oil and safflower oil for deep-frying

Butter a 5-by-9-inch (I 3-by-2 3-cm) loaf pan. In a saucepan over high heat, bring the water to a boil. Add the 1/2 teaspoon salt, reduce the heat to medium, and slowly add the polenta, whisking constantly. Continue to whisk the mixture until it thickens, about 2 minutes. Change to a wooden spoon and continue to simmer, stirring periodically, until the polenta pulls away from the sides of the pan and the spoon can stand upright, unaided, in the polenta, 20-25 minutes. Add the cheese, butter, and rosemary and stir to mix well. Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper, and pour into the prepared pan. Smooth the top with a rubber spatula, cover, and refrigerate until set, about 2 hours. To make the sauce, place the roasted bell pepper in a blender along with the sour cream and tomato paste and blend until a smooth paste forms. Transfer to a bowl and add the heavy cream, vinegar, and cayenne. Whisk until the cream thickens slightly. Season with salt and black pepper. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Run a knife around the polenta to loosen it from the pan. Invert the pan to unmold the polenta. Cut into slices 1/2 inch thick. Cut the slices into sticks 3 inches long by 1/2 inch wide. You should have about 30 sticks. Place the flour in a bowl and, in batches, dust the sticks lightly with the flour. In a large, deep frying pan or in a saucepan over medium-high heat, pour in equal parts olive oil and safflower oil to a depth of 1 inch and heat to 375°F on a deep-frying thermometer. Add the polenta sticks, in batches, and fry, turning as needed, until golden on all sides, 1-2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with salt. Keep warm until all the sticks are cooked.