Chili and Rosemary Polenta with Tomato sauce

I am writing with no idea of what recipe I will post!  The marathon training seems to have taken over my life and with it my eating habits have gone hay wire.  I now consider a good meal crunchy nut cornflakes with soya milk!  Tomorrow is my long run-about 18km and this afternoon I have decided not to train on my bike, so I have all this free time!  I thought I had better update my blog, I am having a mug of peppermint tea and listening to Emeli Sande (http://www.emelisande.com/).  I have just been out planting broad beans in my garden, the heat has taken it's toll on my poor garden and all the mulching we have done doesnt seem to be helping.
I often eat at the Bayleaf in Arusha and Mary makes the most wonderful thngs with polenta. This is inspired by something she made last week:  Chili and Rosemary Polenta with Tomato sauce
For the polenta:
4 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 red chili, deseeded and finely chopped (or a sprinkle of ground chili flakes)
1 tbsp finely chopped rosemary
150g quick cook polenta
Sea Salt and freshly ground pepper

For the tomato sauce:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
2 x 400g tinned tomatoes
1 bay leaf
a pinch of sugar

To make the polenta, heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a frying pan over a low-medium heat.  Add the garlic and chili and sweat gently for a couple of minutes - dont let the garlic colour.  Add the rosemary and remove from the heat.
Pour 800ml in a sauce pan and bring to the boil.  Now pour in the polent in a thin stream, stirring all the time.  When smooth allow it to return to a simmer.  Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly, then remove from the heat.  Stir in the garlic, chili and rosemary, season generously with salt and pepper.  Mix well.
tip the polenta onto a cold surface-such as a marble slab or plate, and spread it smoothly into an even disk, about 2cm thick.   Leave to cool completely.

To make the tomato sauce, heat the olive oil in a wide frying pan over a medium-low heat.  Add the garlic and sweat gently for a couple of minutes; don't let it colour.  Add the tomatoes with their juice, add a bay leaf if you have one.  Bring to a simmer then cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring often and crushing the tomatoes with a fork until you have a thick sauce.  Season with salt and pepper and a little sugar.

When the polenta is cool and firm cut into slices or wedges.  Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a non-stick pan over a medium-high heat and fry the polentapieces for 2-3 minutes on each side, until they have a light golden brown crust.  Serve topped with the tomato sauce.

Good comfort food! 

Toasted millet, sugar snap & avocado salad with ginger, honey & pumpkin seed dressing

This is out of Dennis Cotter's amazing book "for the love of food", however there are a number of additions and substitutes one can make.  This makes a lovely little starter or a light lunch.

At the moment in my garden I have a huge abundance of french breakfast radishes so they go into the salad as well, and alfalfa and sprouted mung beans are a good addition too.
 
For 4
1 tbsp olive oil
300grm millet  (one could also use couscous or bulgar wheat)
4 spring onions-finely chopped
150 grms sugar snap peas-strings removed and halved
2 hass avocados
1 handful of micro salad or water cress (or any small salad leaves you can find!)

The dressing:
150g pumpkin seeds-toasted
juice of one lemon or lime
2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 tbsp runny honey
125 ml olive oil

First prepare the dressing: set aside 2 tbsp of the pumpkin seeds and chop them coarsely.  Put the rest into a food processor and grind to a fine powder.  Add 150ml water and blend to a paste.  Add the lemon juice, ginger, honey and olive oil and briefly blend to get a pouring consistency.  Season with salt and pepper.

Heat the olive oil in a heavy sauce pan over low heat.  Add the millet and toast for 7-8 minutes, stirring often.  Add 600ml/1 pint of boiing water and a pinch of salt.  Lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer the millet for 15 minutes, until all the water has been absorbed.

Stir the spring onions and sugar snaps into the millet, spoon this into shallow bowls and drizzle some dressing over.  Peel the avocado, remove the stone and cut the flesh into thick dice.  Toss with the salad leaves and a little of the dressing.

Spoon some of this salad on each portion of the millet, and drizzle some more dressing over and around the sald.  Scatter the reserved chopped pumpkin seeds on top and serve.