Grilled Polenta Slices with Tomato Bruschetta Topping with Avocado and Lemon
by Claire .Criscuolo, RN

Serves 4-6
Enjoy this beautiful side dish either hot or chilled, it's delicious either way.
You can buy precooked organic polenta, sold in tubes in the refrigerated section of the supermarket, generally  alongside the pizza dough and prepacked hummos.

 

1        18 ounce tube of precooked organic polenta
1        Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and pepper

 

Tomato Bruschetta Topping with Avocado and Lemon:
Makes about a cup
2        Cloves garlic
½      Jalapeno, cut in half, always wash your hands after handling hot peppers
1        Large, ripe locally grown organic tomato, quartered
5-6    Basil leaves
1        Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and pepper
1      Small ripe avocado
½    Lemon, cut into wedges

 

Heat  the grill to high. Cut the polenta into eight,  1/2"-3/4 inch slices and set single layer onto a plate. Brush both sides of each slice of polenta with the olive oil, then sprinkle each side lightly with sea salt and pepper. When the grill is hot, place the polenta slices, single layer onto the rack. Cover the grill and cook for about 6-8 minutes per side until deep brown marks appear, then using a metal spatula, turn to grill the other side. While the polenta is grilling, you can prepare the Bruschetta Topping:
Place the garlic cloves and the jalapeno pepper into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Cover and process for about 5 seconds until the garlic and pepper are finely minced. Add the quartered tomato, the basil leaves, olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Cover and process for about 10 seconds until blended. Taste for seasonings. After the polenta is grilled, arrange the slices onto a platter. Spoon about a tablespoon of the tomato bruschetta topping onto each slice of polenta, then turn the remaining topping into a bowl for your guests to use for dipping their tofu or for dipping baked tortilla chips. Peel, pit and slice the avocado into thin slices and arrange these slices onto the polenta. Squeeze the lemon wedges over the polenta.