Name: 121BC’s crisp polenta, baby artichoke, peas and aioli
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 100 ml milk; 1 fresh bay leaf; 125 gm fine yellow polenta, plus extra for dusting; 20 gm (¼ cup) finely grated parmesan; For deep-frying: vegetable oil; 10 baby artichokes, trimmed, chokes removed, placed in acidulated water; For dusting: seasoned plain flour; ¼ cup each (firmly packed) flat-leaf parsley and sage leaves; 6 small rosemary sprigs; Aioli; 3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped; 225 ml olive oil; 1 egg yolk; 2 tbsp lemon juice; 100 ml extra-virgin olive oil; Pea dressing; 90 ml extra-virgin olive oil; 30 ml lemon juice; 1 tsp finely chopped mint; 100 gm podded peas (200gm unpodded)

121BC’s crisp polenta, baby artichoke, peas and aioli

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for 121BC's crisp polenta, baby artichoke, peas and aioli.

121BC: Crisp polenta, baby artichoke, peas and aioli

Serves 6

Prep

30M

Cook

50M

Total

1H 20M

“This is a bit of a spring tasting plate with some comfortingly salty crisp polenta. It’s a sort of a reckless salad.” Andrew Cibej, 121BC

Ingredients

100 ml milk

1 fresh bay leaf

125 gm fine yellow polenta, plus extra for dusting

20 gm (¼ cup) finely grated parmesan

For deep-frying: vegetable oil

10 baby artichokes, trimmed, chokes removed, placed in acidulated water

For dusting: seasoned plain flour

¼ cup each (firmly packed) flat-leaf parsley and sage leaves

6 small rosemary sprigs

Aioli

3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

225 ml olive oil

1 egg yolk

2 tbsp lemon juice

100 ml extra-virgin olive oil

Pea dressing

90 ml extra-virgin olive oil

30 ml lemon juice

1 tsp finely chopped mint

100 gm podded peas (200gm unpodded)

Method

Main

1.Bring milk, bay leaf and 750ml water to the simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add polenta in a steady stream, whisking continuously, bring to the simmer, reduce heat to low, cover and stir occasionally until polenta is thick (20-25 minutes). Add parmesan, season to taste and pour into a 3cm-deep, 12cm x 8cm tray lined with plastic wrap. Smooth top with a wet palette knife, refrigerate until firm (3-4 hours). Turn onto a board, cut into 4cm x 2.5cm pieces and refrigerate until required.

2.Meanwhile, for aioli, preheat oven to 180C. Combine garlic in a small ovenproof frying pan with 125ml olive oil and roast until garlic is tender (15-20 minutes). Set aside to cool, remove garlic from oil (reserve oil for another use), then process in a small food processor with yolk and half the lemon juice until combined. With motor running, add remaining olive oil and extra-virgin olive oil in a thin steady stream until thick. Add remaining lemon juice, season to taste, thin with a little warm water if necessary, and set aside.

3.For pea dressing, whisk oil, juice and mint until combined, season to taste and set aside. Blanch peas until bright green (1-2 minutes; see cook’s notes p218), drain, toss in dressing, season to taste and keep warm.

4.Reduce oven to 100C. Heat vegetable oil in a deep frying pan over high heat, dust polenta pieces in polenta, shake off excess, then deep-fry, turning occasionally, until golden (3-4 minutes; be careful as hot oil will spit). Transfer to an oven tray and keep warm in oven.

5.Dust artichokes in flour then deep-fry, turning occasionally, until golden and crisp (2-3 minutes; be careful as hot oil will spit). Transfer to a tray lined with absorbent paper and season to taste.

6.Fry herbs in oil until crisp (30 seconds-1 minute). Drain on absorbent paper and set aside.

7.Serve polenta scattered with peas, artichokes and herbs, with aioli.

You’ll need to begin this recipe a day ahead.
This recipe is from the September 2011 issue of
.
Drink Suggestion: 2008 Viticoltori De Conciliis Antece Fiano, Campania, Italy.
Notes