Fried Polenta with Habanero Refried Black Beans, Sauteed Onion, and Green Pepper

Camera Issues

I have never ever eaten polenta. I have never bought it, I have never ordered it.
Today, I cooked with it.

Being a traditionally Northern Italian food staple, this is not a food eaten often by my Guido-Calabrian family. What is essentially corn meal, Polenta is very smooth and very delicious. I wanted to play with textures and flavors today. Corn, a staple of southwestern cooking, allowed me to create a cross-culture food experiment. What was intended to be a small insignificant meal for one on a relaxed and easy saturday, turned out to be one of the best meals i’ve had in a while. The best part? I made it without a recipe! Therefore, this is my creation and you may bow at anytime you feel necessary during the following presentation.

I cooked the polenta on the stove traditionally with salt water. I used approximately 3/4 cup of Instant Polenta and approximately 1 1/2 cups water, creating a very thick dough like Polenta. I added 1tbsp of Olive Oil for flavor.

As the Polenta cooled I prepared the following:
2 Cloves garlic (finely chopped)
1 Medium-size onion (diced)
1 Green pepper (in strips)
Open and heat can of refried beans, add habanero to preferred taste
I heated olive oil in a sautee pan and allowed the vegetables to soften and cook

Now that all the toppings are ready all that needs to be done is fry the polenta patties.
I fried them in about 2 inches of oil for approximately 2-3 minutes on each side.

Now cover them in tasty toppings!!!

stack it up, know what i'm saying?

Taking the largest polenta patty spread refried black beans and top with shredded cheese. Place another on top and repeat but this time add sauteed vegetables.
Add the last polenta patty to the top of your stack and cover with remaining onions or veggies and top with cheese

Place on cooking sheet and place under broiler for 2-3 minutes.

I added some salsa and sour cream to my final product and inhaled it

I need a new camera- but this is a visual process

Aftermath:

Clean Plate Club

This is one of the most versatile dishes I can think of. The polenta when fried becomes almost chewy on the outside with sinfully smooth polenta on the inside. Layering it with black beans and sauteed vegetable and some shredded cheese gives it just one of many possible flavors. Polenta, when baked or grilled, could be used as a pizza crust! Hot damn, polenta is fun.

Fried Polenta Stack o’ Tasty
3/4 cup Instant Polenta
2 cups water (add more or less to desired consistency)
1 Green Pepper
2 Cloves Garlic
1 Medium Onion
1 Can Refried Black Beans
Diced Habanero to taste
Shredded Cheese

Salsa and Sour cream to top
Cilantro and lime also optional
Hope you enjoy it!!