Dishing Up the Dirt

Roasted Polenta Rounds with Parsley Pesto & Sun-Dried Tomatoes

I don’t wear any jewelry except for my wedding ring. It’s a simple ring. A solid silver band. Not glamorous but absolutely perfect. I haven’t taken it off since the day Taylor first placed it on my finger.

My old farm manger at Hutchins Farm lost his wedding ring in the dirt many years ago. After he told me the story I remember making a mental note to always be aware if my ring was feeling loose on my finger.

Whelp, today my beloved wedding ring fell off in the fields. It vanished somewhere in the dirt probably hours before I even realized it was missing.  A needle in the haystack would be an understatement.  Six acres of dirt and not a clue of where the incident happened are killing me.

The loss of my wedding ring is not the end of the world. I know there are more important things to get worked up over. However, at this moment I feel totally crushed (and naked without it!) It may turn up. However, I’m pretty sure it’s a goner.

Life goes on with or without a wedding ring. I Just had to vent for a second.

Alright, onto something positive. Let’s chat food! These little polenta rounds are pretty darn delicious. They make the perfect appetizer and an even better main course when served with a side salad.  We had a tube of the precooked polenta which makes prep super easy. These taste like mini pizzas! Feel free to add any pesto you prefer. We had parsley on hand so that’s why I chose this particular pesto.  I’ve also been enjoying these with smashed avocado, sun dried tomatoes, and a little arugula. SO good! The possibilities are endless with roasted polenta rounds! To keep these vegan just omit the organic parmesan cheese or try my version with avocado instead. Enjoy.

Roasted Polenta Rounds with Parsley Pesto & Sun Dried Tomatoes

Prep Time: 15 minutes    Cook Time: 15 minutes    Serves: 10 polenta rounds

  • 1 16 oz package cooked polenta log, cut into 1/2 inch rounds
  • 1 cup sun dried tomatoes, (packed in oil) diced
  • 1 TBS grapeseed oil (or oil of choice)
  • Handful of organic parmesan cheese (optional)
For the Pesto:
  • 1/4 cup walnuts
  • 1 1/2 cups parsley
  • 3-4 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup organic parmesan cheese (optional)
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Fine sea salt to taste

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Grease a baking sheet with grapeseed oil. Use a little extra oil to lightly grease each polenta round. Place polenta rounds on baking sheet and roast in the oven until lightly browned. About 20 minutes. Flip rounds halfway through cooking time.
  3. While polenta cooks prepare your pesto. Place the walnuts and garlic in a food processor. Process until finely chopped. Add parsley and parmesan cheese. Slowly, with the motor still running add the olive oil. Season to taste with salt.
  4. Scoop a small spoonful of pesto onto each polenta rounds. Top with sun dried tomatoes and a sprinkle more of parmesan cheese. Feel free to place back in the oven for 1 minute for the cheese to melt. Enjoy!

Notes

* I cook with a taste and feel method. The measurements are an approximation. Please use this recipe as a guide and adjust measurements and ingredients as necessary.


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26 thoughts on “Roasted Polenta Rounds with Parsley Pesto & Sun-Dried Tomatoes

  1. I lost my wedding ring in the ocean, almost exactly 20 years to the day of my marriage, and well- 3 years after my divorce. Funny how I thought of it “just as a beautiful Celtic ring now”, a few days before it trailed off into the surf, I didnt notice it for hours later – sure hope it gets found by someone and really makes their day! Maybe this is an opportunity to renew your vows and make it special and not a loss?

  2. I really know how you feel, I’m so sorry. You may hear a lot of stories about losing rings today ;-), but I’m still going to tell you mine. Lost it on the slopes and searched for hours. Returned to the car where we went for a break midday, and found it sitting in the backseat underneath a few layers of clothes. No recollection of taking it off midday, but there it was. Fortunately the ring is only an external symbol of something you have with your husband that is much deeper and that nobody can take away from you! BTW, love sun-dried tomatoes with pesto. This is a perfect dinner party appetizer!

  3. Aylin says:

    Maybe you will grow a ring tree!
    Or maybe you could rent a metal detector: http://www.portlandrentall.com/equipment.asp?action=category&category=23&key=82140305

  4. Karolyn says:

    I’m so sorry!!! I wish I could help– you’ve helped me make such awesome food, Maybe a metal detector and some friends with flashlights? Loooooove polenta and pesto btw. And I made your collard green tacos the other night, dang! So so good! It made my day!

  5. Yum!! I LOVE polenta rounds 🙂

  6. I’ve been meaning to give polenta a try, and this looks like a great first recipe for it!

  7. Jennifer says:

    I feel your pain. I am a massage therapist and always feared what turned out to be the inevitable…took my wedding band off before a massage never to be seen again. It’s hard when you do something that requires you take it off all the time or use your hands for labor. It IS a bummer but the love and the marriage – they keep going ring or no ring which is the upside of the loss. I hope it spreads extra love in your soil and food!

  8. Aw Andrea, I’m so sorry! I haven’t had a chance to wear mine yet but I’m already paranoid about losing it. I don’t wear my engagement ring to work for that very reason. But I like the idea to rent a metal detector, assuming there isn’t any other kind of metal in the soil at the farm. I have my fingers crossed for you!

    At least this polenta looks delicious! I love that you paired it with pesto.

  9. Julia says:

    Oh sweetheart!! I’m so sorry to hear about your ring! I’ve never owned any piece of jewelry remotely close to the sentimentality of a wedding ring, but I know how much it sucks when you lose something you’re emotionally attached to. With any luck, you’ll see it hanging off a vegetable bush in a few months when you’re doing your harvest. Fingers crossed!

    Your polenta rounds? Amazing!

  10. Jean says:

    I am so sorry about your ring. The feeling in the pit of your stomach must be awful. Really hope that one day while you are working hard in the fields it will show up. But I also like the metal detector idea. Take care.

  11. Oh nooo, so sorry to hear about your ring, my dear! So tough because it’s obviously not practical to take it off when you go out in the fields every day. I am on board with the metal detector idea!
    These polenta rounds are exactly what I’m in the mood for right now. I haven’t had pesto in way too long! Must pick up one of those polenta tubes ASAP 🙂

  12. Oh no! Sorry about your ring. I have a feeling, the minute you forget about it, you’ll find it. I’m not sure what you were planting today, but maybe when you’re harvesting, you’ll see a sparkle?

  13. Margie says:

    I’ve been vacillating about whether to comment: after all, how much could it comfort you to hear from strangers that we’re sorry for that moment of “Oh, no!”? But you’ve created in your blog such a lovely spot for us all, a retreat and an inspiration, that it seems only right to say just that: I’m so sorry you lost your ring. I hope you’ll feel comforted tonight, as you have dinner and a glass of wine with your husband, in knowing that there are many of us who wish you well, who know that rings re-appear—or they don’t—and that your love and companionship—and all of those seedlings–will offset the disappointment of today.

  14. Becky says:

    Andrea, your wedding ring will turn up some day when you least expect it. As for the feeling of nakedness, do you have a substitute that you can wear in the mean time? Maybe your husband can pick out something from a second hand store. It’ll just be temporary!

  15. Nichole says:

    I have a really good metal detector. I’ll bring it over on Sunday and we can go searching before our dinner date! I’m sorry to hear about your ring, but very excited to see you this weekend!

  16. cheri says:

    So sorry about your ring, I lost mine and 15 years later I still look for it. Love your polenta rounds, the sun dried tomatoes give it such a pop!!

  17. Lauren says:

    Aw heck, I’m sorry about your ring! I hope you and your friend were able to have a look with the metal detector. Hope you’ll keep us posted but you sound like you have a good perspective about it all, even if you guys don’t find it. Can’t wait to give these polenta rounds a try, they seem like a great light spring lunch!

  18. Francesca says:

    Ack! Im sorry about your ring. Have you thought about renting a metal detector!?

    On a positive note, these look lovely. Gonna buy polenta when we go back to the states wednesday!

  19. SandraM says:

    You didn’t lose your ring, you planted your love. You are your husband are married to the soil and your farm. It’s perfect and beautiful. 🙂

  20. Carrie says:

    Time to pray to St. Anthony! Stranger things have happened, I predict it will turn up!

    Love,
    Aunt Carrie

  21. So sorry about your ring. My stomach flipped when I started to read your post and knew that you had lost your ring. I was hoping for a happy ending. Could you call a few neighbors for a needle in the haystack party and serve your polenta rounds? I’d come if I wasn’t in Nevada. Kids are really great at finding shiny objects. Good luck and be well, Tracey

  22. Kim says:

    well, obviously this year’s harvest, Tumbleweed’s first crops in a new home, will be healthy and happy, blessed with extra love! Keep telling yourself that and know that I, too, am sorry for your loss.

    We love those pre-made polenta rolls in our house, such a super easy dinner. We actually had one tonight, topped with two bunches of raab (kale and collards, I think) sauteed with garlic, and a generous dumping of parmesan on top. Raab is one of my favorite spring treats.

  23. Amy says:

    So sorry to hear that you lost your ring! I hope you find it. Mum lost the diamond out of her ring some years ago and miraculously she looked down a few days later and it was caught in the door mat! (note: it’s not a huge diamond which made this miraculous), so I still have hope for you 🙂
    Also, these roasted polenta rounds look divine! Anything with pesto and sundried tomatoes is definitely a winner in my book 🙂

  24. You should rent a metal detector! 🙂 Gosh, I hope you find it, keep us posted. These are brilliant. I looooove polenta, and with pesto? That’s got to be an amazing combination!

  25. Susan Duncan says:

    I am so sorry about your ring. I lost mine digging (3 days!) our first home, an Airstream, out of the an early Fall snow in the Olympics. Years later, while backpacking in the High Sierra, I saw the glitter of gold along a creek—ah! A wedding band! I turned it in to Park Service, then a year later, got it, unclaimed, in a mailed package. That ring became my daughter’s wedding band. Then, forward a few more years, I found a $30,000.00 diamond ring in a Starbuck’s parking lot. I thought that it was fake—too clear, square, Cracker-Jack like. However, decided to leave my name at the store. Astounded to later receive a frantic message that the ring was real, a perfect stone! (Although weirdly ugly). So, while it is sad now, perhaps interesting and good things will come with time.
    Thanks for your blog. It is wonderful to read local food-farming blogs. Thank you!

  26. Candyblash says:

    Had your polenta rounds at a party and besides being deeelicious, I knew that was something I would enjoy making! So glad to locate your recipe on your user friendly blog. Many thanks, Andrea. It’s on my menu for a weekend dinner party.

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