Creamy Polenta with roasted bell peppers

It's comforting, it's creamy (yet totally cream free), it gives you a warm hug and still bursts with summer flavours! This creamy Polenta with roasted bell peppers is a keeper ;-).

While summer still shines as bright as it could a couple of stormy and rainy hours got me craving comfort food as of lately. But not too hearty or heavy, just something light and comfortable. After a short chat and check-up with both the refrigerator and our cupboard I settled on using one of my favourite sides: polenta (a coarse kind of cornmeal) cooked in milk and then topped with a vegetable mix, which is heavy on ripe (red) bell peppers - toasted walnuts add a little autumn-y touch while green thyme reminds me of long summer evenings. In the end my cravings were covered and the leftovers taste great the next day as well! Another plus point: it's rather quick and you can work on something else while the veggies are roasting in the oven - a win for midweek-dinners. So enjoy the last weeks of summer!

Creamy Polenta with roasted bell peppers
- serves 2
- 2 bell peppers (I used red ones, but you can use whichever you have on hand/prefer)
- 1 small zucchini
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup dry polenta
- 200 ml milk
- 200 ml water
- 1 medium sized tomato
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- loose handful of thyme (fresh), plus extra for garnish
- loose handful of chopped walnuts
- salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat your oven to 220°C/440°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminium foil, drizzle with one tablespoon of the olive oil. Halve and deseed the bell peppers, slice the zucchini. Arrange the bell pepper halves cut-side-down onto the baking sheet as well as the zucchini slices. Drizzle the zucchini with an additional tablespoon of olive oil then add salt and pepper to taste. Roast for 20 minutes, then turn the zucchini slices and roast for a further 10-15 minutes until vegetables are fork tender. Remove and put the bell pepper halves in a heat proof bowl and cover with a lid. The kept steam will allow for easy peeling later on.
2. Meanwhile prepare the polenta with the mixed milk and water according to package directions.
3. Now peel the bell peppers, discarding the peel and slicing both, the peppers and the zucchini into small pieces. Set a pan on medium high heat and toast the chopped walnuts until just browned. Meanwhile cut the tomato into cubes. Remove the nuts from the pan, then add in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and fry the tomato until just soft, then add in the tomato paste along with the pepper and zucchini pieces, stir well and add in salt and pepper to taste.
4. Divide the cooked polenta into two bowls or on two plates, then spoon the roasted vegetables on top. Sprinkle with the roasted walnuts and garnish with some fresh thyme - serve and enjoy!

Fresh Basil Pesto and Vegetable Pasta

This is the dish we've pretty much survived on past summer and plan to do so again this time: the usual pasta-of-choice, tossed with fresh, homemade basil pesto, some seasonal vegetables and of course: toasted pine-nuts. The taste is as spring-y or summer-y as it gets! And I love the simplicity it provides: 20 minutes from start to finish and you can serve a delicious, healthy, homemade and fresh meal! Check, check, check and CHECK (yes, capital letters, 'cause it's just that good!!).

Quiche with Smoked Salmon and Sundried Tomatoes

 

Ask one about the indicators for spring and he or she will probably give an answer like "twittering birds in the morning, first green and colourful spots in nature and dishes with fresh veggies and fruit". While I totally won't argue about those facts, as I am a great fan indeed, I've found yet another factor to show me that the warmer seasons has arrived: quiches!

Yes, those crisp crusts filled with an egg mixture and savoury or sweet produce which start to pop up at every corner in the digital as well as the real-life world in the moment: in cafeterias and food galleries. And I'm totally with that vibe: nothing comes close to the taste of a fresh homemade quiche enjoyed at a picnic or get-together on one of the first warmer evenings! (how can one not love the changing of the clocks - okay, minus the hour that was "stolen" and the all-dark-again mornings...).

Conclusion is: ithappens to be springtime - I've also munched on the first aspargus this week and to kickstart the endorphine production decided to bake up a quiche that already tastes like summer with yet a touch of spring: Smoked Salmon and Sundried tomatoes get accompanied by fresh basil leaves and a dash of parmesan.  The red splash of colour and sunny tastes pairs beautifully with the smoky nuances and the basil leaves can also be found in the crust to give it all a fresh, green-dotted appearance. Happy springtime!

Quiche with smoked salmon and sundried tomatoes
- makes enough for one 9 inch pan (I've used several smaller ones and froze the leftovers)
Crust:
- 200 g flour (I've used whole wheat flour)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- ~4 tbsp water
- a dash of pepper
- a generous handful of fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

Filling:
- 2 eggs
- 200 ml milk
- 2 Tbsps creme fraiche
- dash of each pepper and ground nutmeg
- 200g smoked salmon
- 30g sundried tomatoes
- 50g parmesan, freshly grated
- a few fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped

1. Preheat your oven to 175 °C.
2. Mix together the flour and salt, then add in the basil, olive oil and pepper and gradually mix in the water until a soft dough is formed.
3. Roll the dough out and press into a pan. Blindbake for 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile prepare your filling: finely chop the tomatoes and basil leaves and cut the salmon in small stripes. Beat together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add in the grated cheese but reserve about one Tbsp. Take the crust out of the oven, evenly distribute the salmon, the tomatoes and the basil on top, then pour the egg mixture all over. Bake for 30 minutes. Then sprinkle the reserved cheese on top and continue baking until top is golden and middle is set. You might need to temporarily cover the quiche with aluminium foil or a lid to prevent browning. Take it out, let cool for 10 minutes then remove from pan and allow for further cooling or serve straightaway. Best accompanied by a fresh green salad. Enjoy!