Spinach, Cauliflower and Feta Polenta
There are some ingredients in my pantry that are quiet and comforting ingredients. Polenta is one of them. It is a blank comforting canvas. Something that I can play with. Much like creating this Spinach, Cauliflower, and Feta Polenta. This is a creamy soothing and easy dish. A little goes a long way. Can certainly be done in the instant pot. I try this either way. It depends on time on hand. What I am doing with myself. I have used Polenta in cakes, the soft creamy denseness adds a nice richness to the cake. I have added Indian flavors and used it instant of semolina in this recipe for upma.
In this recipe, created for an online cooking class, I paired this with loads of spinach and cauliflower and just enough Feta to round out the flavors. The result is a cozy comforting dish. As I was putting things together, I was determined to buy anything new for this recipe and I did not.
Some tips and tricks
There are few things to remember with cooking polenta,
- Do not scrimp on the water, it might seem like you are adding a lot of water, but the polenta absorbs it and transitions into this beautiful creamy creature.
- If cooking on the stove top, take your time to cook this slowly to allow it to thicken.
- In general, you can use this as a blank canvas to finish this as you see fit.
- Lots of black and red pepper, topped with some pesto, or just leave the dish as is.
One of things that I have been relishing is the general quite and peace. I love to see people outside with their children. It is soothing to hear the sound of the birds chirping. The birds are flying closer to us. I do not miss the cacophony of the traffic. I do however miss seeing people when ever I want.
If you like this recipe and want more ideas, do join my Indian Instant Pot Facebook group . Of course Instant Indian is a great idea to pick up,right with its siblings The Bengali Five Spice Chronicles and Spices and Seasons.
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Creamy comforting and loaded with vegetables, this polenta makes a great one pot meal.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 3/4 cup polenta
- 4 cups of water
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 cup chopped, grated or riced cauliflower
- 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 2 cups of chopped spinach or any tender greens of your choice
- 1 tablespoon butter (optional)
- Freshly ground black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes to taste
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil and add in the garlic and cook for a minute or two until the garlic is fragrant.
- Add in the polenta and the water and salt.
- Stir in the cauliflower. Simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The polenta will gently simmer and thicken.
- Stir in the feta and cook for another 5 minutes. At this point the polenta should be soft and creamy. Stir in the spinach and the butter if using. Turn off the heat. The polenta might appear a little thin, but it will thicken as it rests.
- Sprinkle with the ground black pepper and red pepper flakes before serve.
Notes
Instant Pot Instructions
Turn on the Saute mode, add in the olive oil and add the garlic and cook for 1 or 2 minutes. Add the polenta, water, salt and cauliflower. Cover and set to 3 minutes high pressure. Allow a natural release. Remove the cover, stir in the feta and spinach and then the butter if using. Serve topped with black pepper and crushed red pepper to taste.