ROASTED VEGETABLES WITH BASIL OIL AND GRILLED POLENTA

This recipe is so beautiful to look at that I always recommend it as a part of a dinner party menu. Make sure you use a good variety of colors in your veggie choice and you can’t go wrong…and as for flavour! Well, it goes without saying, this is DIVINE! You can serve individually or use a beautiful platter of your choice, here is one I loved!

 NEED:
2 red onions peeled and cut in wedges
4-6 tomatoes halved (work on ½ tomato per person)
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
4 red capsicums
2 zuchinni cut lengthways in ribbons with a potato peeler
4-6 flat mushrooms (or 1 per person)

TO SERVE:
Basil oil and Feta and Rosemary Polenta wedges

DO:
Heat oven to 160 degrees.
Line tray with baking paper, spread onions and tomatoes and drizzle with olive oil.
Turn to coat and season with salt and pepper.
Roast approx 1 hour. Add mushrooms and roast a further 20 minutes.
Meanwhile roast capsicums whole on oven shelf.
Remove when skin is blackened and place in paper bag until cool.
Peel skin, remove seeds and cut into pieces. Set aside.
Heat oiled grill plate over medium heat and brown polenta wedges, and zucchini ribbons on both sides.
Add capsicums to grill just to warm through.
Assemble by putting piece of polenta on each plate, topping with array of vegetables and drizzling with basil oil.

BASIL OIL:
Process 1 large handful of basil oil in food processor and with motor running. Add extra virgin olive oil in thin stream until blended.
The oil should have a runny consistency.
Add pinch of salt and pepper, or squeeze of lemon and zest  if desired.

FETA, ROSEMARY POLENTA WEDGES

NEED:
6 cups water
Salt and pepper
2 cups instant polenta
1 tbspn butter
¾ cup crumbled feta
½ teaspn ground nutmeg
1 tspn finely chopped rosemary

DO:
Bring water, salt and pepper to boil.
Add polenta in thin stream as you stir.
Cover and cook for 3 minutes.
Stir in feta, nutmeg and rosemary until evenly combined.
Spread cooked mixture in a shallow oiled dish to form a 3 cm thick slab.
At serving time, cut into wedges and grill or pan fry.
Polenta is quite tasteless, so make sure you are generous with the flavoring of choice.
You can add any cheese, herbs of your choosing.