This is a yummy and low maintenance meal. It is also gluten free! I popped the veggies in the oven while I had a bath, and then did the polenta which is quick, quick, quick! This happily serves 4. I was greedy and plated the lot up, but even Kyle couldn't finish it all, so we have it as a tasty lunch today too! I used a good harrisa paste here to speed things up but you can easily make your own with chilli's, garlic, coriander, cumin and a good glug of oil to loosen. Whizz it up in a processor and voila!
Ingredients:
Half a red pepper sliced
A large aubergine sliced
A courgette sliced
2 garlic cloves sliced fine
4 teaspoons of a good harrisa paste. (They all vary in strength so add more or less to how hot you like it)
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons of olive oil
Tin of chopped tomatoes
Handful of black olives
Polenta Ingredients:
2 cups of polenta (quick cooking polenta)
4 cups of water
1 tbsp of Bouillon stock powder
1/3 cup of olive oil
5 sun dried tomatoes in oil chopped
3 tbsp of the oil from the sun dried tomatoes
salt to taste
Okay, so pre heat your oven to 200c. Then place the aubergine slices in the bottom of a large cooking dish, sprinkle the slices with salt and with a spoon rub in some harrisa paste. Place the red pepper and courgette slices, garlic, olives, tomatoes, a sprinkle of pepper, salt and the olive oil on top of the aubergine. Place in the oven for 25 to 30 mins, keep an eye on it after 20 mins so that it doesn't burn. You want these veggies to roast and the tomato juice to reduce but burnt bits are a no go!
Right when your veggies are looking nice turn your oven down a smidge and get this polenta cookin!
In a sauce pan, bring the water, stock powder, salt and oils to the boil, when it is just bubbling add the polenta in a thin stream to the water stirring constantly with a whisk. Add the tomatoes. It will soon thicken. Be careful as it will start to bubble when it is done and has a tendency to spit polenta on to your busy stirring hands!
Okay so plate up your polenta, pile those veggies on top and tuck in!
