I’ve blogged about polenta before, including this dish with kale, and these polenta triangles which are still a favorite. Really, all it takes is cornmeal, broth or water, a pinch of salt, and less than 30 minutes. I was searching for some new recipes for the weekend, and saw this one for tomato braised beans over polenta. There’s always a can of beans and a can of tomatoes in my cupboard, so I made this dish without even needing to leave the house. I added about 1/4 c. of Parmesan cheese to the polenta towards the end of cooking, and then used more cheese as a garnish. Don’t be intimidated by the polenta cooking instructions here, just pour the cornmeal slowly in the beginning and then keep stirring until it’s smooth. It’s not fussy like risotto, and comes out right every time. So if you’ve got a cannister of cornmeal lurking in your cabinet, take it out and give this a go!

• Main Dishes