Tahoe recipe: Creamy polenta, kalamata tapenade and poached eggs

I’m always looking for an excuse to pop some bubbly and make mimosas. What better to serve with a mimosa than polenta with poached eggs?

You’ll want to invite friends over to share this yummy dish. There are a couple steps to this recipe, but it is fairly simple. Serve with some fresh-cut fruit and, of course, a mimosa. Enjoy!

CREAMY POLENTA WITH KALAMATA TAPENADE

Makes 4 servings

Chunky tapenade ingredients:

1 cup pitted kalamata olives

1 tablespoon capers

1/4 cup roasted red bell pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil (plus more for garnish)

Directions:

Pulse all ingredients until chopped, keep pulsing to your liking (I like mine on the chunky side). Set aside until the dish is ready.

Creamy polenta ingredients:

4 cups water

4 cups vegetable or chicken broth

2 cups of medium grind cornmeal

1 cup shredded finely shredded Parmesan

Salt and pepper

Directions:

Heat the water and broth in a large pot; once it is boiling slowly pour in the cornmeal. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 20-25 minutes. If you want the polenta creamier just add a little more broth. Once the polenta has absorbed all the water remove it from the heat and stir in the cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

Poached egg ingredients:

4 eggs

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Crack each egg into a small bowl. Fill a medium pot with water and add in the vinegar and bring the water to a simmer. When the water is simmering give it a little whirl making a gentle cyclone effect. Slowly pour in each egg, one at a time. Keep a spoon handy to keep the eggs separate. The eggs should only take about 3 minutes each. Remove the egg with a slotted spoon.

To serve: Spoon the polenta into your serving bowls, top with a poached egg then the tapenade. Drizzle a little more olive oil over the polenta. Serve warm.

Chef Arica Davis is owner/operator of Yummy Fixins, Personal Chef Services and Pasta Parties. Visit http://www.yummyfixins.com or call 530-539-4504 to book your next dinner party.