Creamy Polenta With Eggplant Ragout
Silky polenta finished with cold butter provides a luxurious base for a complex eggplant ragout built from seared baby eggplant coins, a pureed eggplant foundation, tomatoes, and bright herbaceous notes. Red wine deglazes the pan, lemon and honey balance acidity, and fresh basil and parsley are stirred in off heat to preserve their color and flavor.
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup polentagrits1:1corn
coarser texture
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cubed
- ½ teaspoon white pepper, freshly ground
- kosher salt(optional)
- 1 pound heirloom baby eggplantsJapanese eggplants1:1eggplant
thinner, sweeter
- ½ 8-ounce eggplant, peeled, large
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 shallots, peeled and quartered
- 1 cup olive oil, divided
- ¼ cup red wine
- 14 ounces canned whole tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons basil leaves, chiffonade
- 1 tablespoon parsley leaves, chiffonade
- kosher salt(optional)
- black pepper, freshly ground(optional)
- Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, for serving
- basil leaves, for garnish
- oregano leaves, for garnish
- wild onion blossoms, minced chives substitute
- lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- 1
Bring water and milk to a simmer in a large pot.
- 2
Slowly add polenta while whisking vigorously to prevent clumps.
- 3
Reduce heat to low and cook until plump and swollen, not grainy, whisking every 7 to 10 minutes to prevent sticking or burning.
- 4
Once cooked, whisk in cold butter cubes one at a time until fully melted and emulsified.
- 5
Season polenta with white pepper and kosher salt.
- 6
Slice baby eggplants into coins and roughly chop the large eggplant.
- 7
Puree the chopped large eggplant with garlic and shallots in a food processor until smooth.
- 8
Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until just below smoking.
- 9
Sear eggplant coins cut-sides down until deep golden brown, flipping halfway through.
- 10
In the same pan, heat olive oil over low heat and add the eggplant puree.
- 11
Sweat the puree until all moisture has evaporated.
- 12
Deglaze the pan with red wine and simmer until completely reduced.
- 13
Add canned tomatoes, breaking up large chunks with a wooden spoon.
- 14
Mix in the reserved seared eggplant, lemon juice, and honey.
- 15
Simmer for 15 minutes.
- 16
Remove from heat and stir in basil and parsley chiffonade, remaining olive oil, and season with kosher salt and black pepper.
- 17
Plate ragout over polenta and garnish with Parmesan, basil, oregano, wild onion blossoms, and lemon wedge.
Tips
Stir polenta frequently while cooking to prevent lumps and burning.
Sear eggplant on high heat until deep golden; this develops flavor through caramelization.
Sweat the eggplant puree on low heat to remove all moisture, concentrating flavor.
Add fresh herbs off heat to preserve their vibrant color and fresh taste.
Good to Know
Refrigerate ragout and polenta separately in airtight containers up to 4 days. Polenta thickens as it cools; reheat gently with additional milk or water to restore creaminess.
Prepare eggplant ragout through the simmering step up to 1 day ahead. Reheat gently before serving. Make polenta no more than 2 hours ahead; it becomes grainy when held.
Spoon ragout over warm creamy polenta. Top with freshly grated Parmesan, fresh basil and oregano, wild onion blossoms or chives, and a squeeze of lemon wedge.
Common Mistakes
Do not add polenta too quickly to the liquid to avoid lumps.
Do not skip stirring polenta every 7-10 minutes to prevent burning.
Do not skip searing eggplant coins on high heat to develop color and flavor.
Do not cook fresh herbs with the ragout to avoid darkening their color.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
General Alternatives
thinner, sweeter
coarser texture