I know, I know! It seems like all my posts lately have been food posts, but I hear that people like them so until I get complaints, they'll keep comin'. Training is going really well, don't worry. I've got a couple of posts coming on that soon enough.
But for now, here is ...
Soft Polenta with Sliced Beef and Parmesan
Adapted from The Athlete's Palate Cookbook
My mother gave me an early Christmas present last week, The Athlete's Palate Cookbook. It was on "the list". For years, I have been tearing recipes out of Runner's World - thank goodness they had the where-with-all to put them in a nicely bound book!!
This is the first recipe I have made from the book and it was AMAZING!! The polenta was nutty and buttery (even though I used 1% milk instead of 2%), the beef tender, and the sauce the perfect compliment to it all. Serve this with a side salad for more veggies.
I am not going to include the the full-recipe for the tomato sauce, because I didn't make it. Pressed for time, I used half a jar of marinara, a can of diced tomatoes (drained), and some chopped fresh basil.
Also, I'm including the full, six serving proportions, but I actually halved it and got three meals out of it - one for dinner, one for lunch, and one to freeze for later.
Polenta
4 teaspoons unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 cups 2% milk
2 cups instant polenta
Salt & pepper to taste
1 cup grated or shredded parmesan
Beef
2 tablespoons EVOO
1.5 lbs sliced beef sirloin
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley
Polenta
Melt the butter until foamy over moderate heat in a medium pan. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is lightly colored, about 3 minutes. Add milk and bring to a boil. Slowly add polenta and cook, stirring constantly, until liquids have been absorbed (this will happen quicker than you think - the book says 5 minutes, but mine came together in 3 min. Polenta will get thick and rubbery as it cools. The more fat and liquid, the smoother the texture.)
Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in parmesan. Keep warm.
Beef
Add the olive oil to a medium saute pan over moderate heat. When the oil is hot, add the beef and saute until it is lightly colored, about 3-4 minutes. Turn the beef over and cook the other side. Add garlic and tomato sauce and cook until beef is done.
Spoon the polenta into the center of soup plates. Arrange the beef and tomato sauce equally over the polenta and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
