Polenta & Orange Salad With Fennel Salsa (GF)

Another recipe, wahoo! Like I said last weekend, I broke into my cookbook collection for some recipe-inspiration. Husband and I love polenta on the grill. Remember my gluten-free grilled polenta bruschetta? Something just magical happens when sizzling brown grill marks are formed on the polenta, making it crispy on the outside and warm and creamy on the inside...mouth watering...Anyway! When going through Makini Howell's cookbook, Plum, and saw the recipe for Polenta & Orange Salad with Fennel Salsa, I knew that was a must try recipe! Grilled Polenta — Vegan — Gluten Free — What are you waiting for? Fire up your grills people!

I ventured slightly off the recipe, what else is new, right?

Ingredients

1 - 18 oz. sleeve of polenta — If you have ever made polenta from scratch, you know how time consuming it can be, stirring endlessly for proper consistency — This is an excellent short-cut to get dinner on the table quickly after work.

6 cups arugula

orange-cilantro vinaigrette

fennel salsa

Orange-Cilantro Vinaigrette

1 T. vinegar

1 T. chopped fresh cilantro, leaves and stems

1 T. gluten-free tamari

1 T. minced, peeled fresh ginger

1 t. sugar

3 T. olive oil

2 T. orange juice

1. Whisk together the vinegar, cilantro, tamari, ginger, sugar, olive oil and orange juice.

Fennel Salsa

2 T. olive oil

2 T. white wine vinegar

2 T. chopped fresh cilantro, leaves and stems

2 t. gluten-free tamari

2 t. minced, peeled fresh ginger

2 t. sugar

3 medium oranges, peeled, segmented, pith and membranes removed

1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed and sliced into 1/4-inch-wide by 2-inch long matchsticks

1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

sea salt & freshly ground pepper

1. In a medium bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, cilantro, tamari, ginger, and sugar. Gently stir in the oranges, fennel, and onion. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Any leftover salsa will keep a good two weeks in the refrigerator. You can use it as a salad dressing or even as a condiment on a sandwich!

To Serve

1. Cut the polenta into discs and lightly brush each side with olive oil. Heat the grill to medium-high heat, and cook the cakes for 1-3 minutes on each side or until distinct grill marks form.

2. In a large bowl, combine the arugula and fennel salsa. Dress the mixture with 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette.

3. Divide the salad among the plates and arrange your polenta cakes alongside the greens.

4. Enjoy!

Another excellent recipe from Plum is the vegan mac & cheese, check out the recipe here.