I wanted to do a post on side dishes, and since I made polenta fries a few weeks back -polenta stuffed peppers came to mind. Creamy polenta with corn, cheddar, and a dash of cayenne tucked into red bell peppers and baked. I love a side dish that can be made up ahead of time, especially on a weeknight!
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon minced shallots
- 3/4 cup corn, fresh or frozen
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 red bell peppers
1. Preheat oven to 400º. In a small saute pan, melt one tablespoon of butter, add shallots and cook until they are translucent. Set pan aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine cornmeal, water, and salt. Microwave uncovered for five minutes, stir and microwave for five more minutes. Mix in the butter, corn, 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese, shallots and cayenne pepper.
3. Slice peppers in half lengthwise keeping the stem intact, carefully remove the ribs and seeds.
4. Scoop polenta mix into the peppers and place in a baking dish. Pour 1/2″ of water into the pan, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle reserved cheese on top, and bake uncovered for another 30 minutes. Serves four.
