Savoury Polenta Cake

Polenta, or coarse cornflour/cornmeal isn't anything I had worked with before until I saw this easy recipe for polenta cake! I made it vegan by using nutritional yeast instead of parmesan, and I reckon it worked quite well! Parmesan does have quite a bit of a stronger and cheesier flavour of course, so if you're not vegan, then go wild! I might try it with parmesan next time I make this.

It works well with dinners should you be out of potatoes for example, and the polenta also mops up gravy rather well too! I tried it first with some venison, carrots and red onion gravy, which worked a treat. But you could also use this and make sandwich wedges, filling it with hummous, cheese, ham, anything you want really! Oh and it's gluten-free too!

Savoury Polenta Cake
(Makes one 18-20cm cake tin's worth)

1 litre vegetable stock
200g polenta/coarse cornmeal/cornflour1 handful rocket, torn (optional)
85g parmesan OR 50g nutritional yeast
2 tsp parsley, finely chopped
2 tsp chervil, finely chopped
2 tsp chives, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

- Start by pouring the vegetable stock into a large casserole, then add the polenta little by little to prevent it from going lumpy, and stir well and frequently for 25-30 minutes. Make sure it doesn't catch the bottom. The mixture should come away from the pan, take it off the heat.

- Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC. Add all the remaining ingredients to the polenta ans stir really well to combine.

- Pour the polenta mixture into a cake tin or mould and bake for about 20 minutes, cool for about 5-10 minutes before serving it with whatever you want!

PS. I also imagine adding grated cheese to the top before baking it would be a winner too!

Polenta Pacman before the feast...!


Have you ever cooked with polenta before?

Yesterday, I was at a Rocky Horror Picture Show party and it was amazing! So many fantastic costumes, and despite coming a little unprepared the girls made sure I got make-upped to the max and wearing a top hat, haha, so much fun! What have you been up to so far this weekend? Any plans for today?


Original source:
Good Mood Food, p. 18

- Jules