Polenta Bowl with Garlicky Summer Squash & Kale
Our CSA members are receiving the first harvest of summer squash this week (along with kale and many other seasonal goodies!) and I thought this simple polenta bowl would be a great way to celebrate the summer harvest. Soft polenta is served with garlicky greens, squash and crunchy chickpeas and topped with an olive oil fried egg. A sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan cheese ties this simple farm fresh meal together. I hope wherever you live that the summer produce is abundant and that you’re able to grab the ingredients to whip up this simple meal. Serve for breakfast with coffee, lunch with some sparkling water or dinner with your favorite beer.
Cheers from Tumbleweed Farm!
Polenta Bowl with Garlicky Summer Squash & Kale
Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Serves: 4
Polenta- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup instant polenta
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 medium-small summer squash, cut into thin rounds
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can chickpeas, drained
- 1 bunch of kale, tough stems removed and torn into bite size pieces
- Fried eggs for serving
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Preparation
- In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups water plus the salt to a boil.
- While the polenta water heats up prepare the other veggies. Heat 1 1/2 Tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the crushed red pepper flakes and cook, stirring often, for about 1 minute. Add the garlic, summer squash and chickpeas. Cook, occasionally stirring, until the summer squash and chickpeas are golden brown and the mixture is fragrant, about 6-8 minutes. Remove the veggies from the pan to a large bowl, (no need to wipe out the pan.) Return the pan to medium-high heat and add the remaining 1 Tablespoon of the oil. Toss in the kale and cook, stirring often, until the kale is bright green and beginning to brown up a bit, about 3 minutes. Turn the heat down to low, add the squash and chickpea mixture back to the pan and keep on very low heat.
- While the veggies cook fry a few eggs in some olive oil until the whites are set and the yokes are still slightly runny.
- Meanwhile, add the polenta to the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions. Add the parmesan and butter and divide the polenta between bowls. Top each bowl with with the veggie mixture, fried eggs, salt and pepper, pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, and extra Parmesan cheese.
Notes
*Use this recipe as a guide *Adjust measurements and ingredients as necessary *Cooking times willy vary from kitchen to kitchen
Love polenta but often forget to make it.
I’m curious – are most of your recipes things that you cook and then photograph, or do you do a lot of recipe testing first? <3
Polenta is the best! We need to make it more often too! As for the recipes–I don’t test them before hand. I dream them up in the fields when we’re working and come in before my husband does and whip them up. I cook with a taste and feel method which is why in the headnotes to all of my recipes it says to “use the recipe as a guide” I’m not militant about measurements and feel that if cooking is taken too seriously it isn’t as much fun. I hope that answers your question! Thanks again for following along!! XOXOXO
About to make this for supper tonight! Super excited! Thank you for the inspo!
This recipe looks great! Do you have the nutritional break down of carbs/protein/fat?
Thanks!
Indra
All these ingredients on hand, including home grown eggs; Dinner decided! thanks!
I had to whip up dinner just for myself and googled for a recipe that could use up a half bunch of kale, some chickpeas and a summer squash in my fridge. So glad this one came up! It was very easy to put together. I ended up subbing the polenta for quinoa, omitting the eggs and adding some home pickled red onions and a squeeze of lemon. It was super good and beautiful (made me feel a little fancy ) Then I thought the name of your farm sounded familiar and looked at your about section. I live in Hood River! I’m pretty sure I’ve had some of your delicious produce from the farmer’s market before. So thank you for both!