Roasted Chicken with Creamy Polenta and Grilled Eggplant
Ingredients:
- 4 cups water
- 1 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup chopped mushrooms (preferable porcini, but buttonmushrooms will do nicely)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- 4 chicken breasts (skin on)
- 2 Japanese eggplants (sliced in half)
- 1-teaspoon oregano
- Oil for brushing
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Serves four
Directions:
- Start by preparing the Polenta. Do this by bringing 6 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the salt and gradually whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the mixture thickens and the cornmeal is tender, stirring often. Add the mushrooms, and cook an additional 15 minutes. Remove from heat; add the butter, and parmesan cheese, stirring until melted.
- Note: The larger the grain of cornmeal (polenta), the longer it takes to cook, so refer to the back of the packaging for cooking instructions before you continue.
- Next, prepare the chicken. You can either grill or bake it. If you decide to bake, pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees. Place the chicken skin-side down on a well oiled cookie sheet or baking pan and place in the oven. Cook for approximately 8-10 minutes. You can check how cooked the breast is by gently flipping up the tenderloin attached to the bottom of the breast to see if there is any pink ing on it. If there is no pink, remove from the oven and let rest for 3 minutes before cutting it to keep the meat moist.
- Lastly, brush the eggplant with a little oil and place on heated grill, turning occasionally. When it starts to get soft, remove from the heat and slice. Sprinkle eggplant slices with oregano, salt and pepper. To serve, pour some polenta on bottom of a flat dish and place a chicken breast over it. Serve with grilled eggplant slices on the side.
This recipe was prepared exclusively for Ciruli Brothers, LLC by Chef Noah Aguilar, Executive Chef of Anza Marketplace in historic Tubac, Arizona, and Sol Restaurant in Savannah, Georgia. As a committed promoter of fresh fruits and vegetables, Chef Noah participates in various industry events with the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas. His work has been featured in publications such as Sunset Magazine, The Arizonian, and Tucson Lifestyle Magazine, among others. Chef Noah received his education from the New England Culinary Institute, and continues to enrich his culinary platform with the flavors of many cultures through extensive travel. When not working, Chef Noah enjoys traveling and spending time with close friends and family.