Polenta with Queso Fresco and Roasted Tomatillo
Sauce
Recipe from
Weber’s On the Grill: Steak & Sides by Jamie
Purviance
Serves: 4
Prep time: 40 minutes
Cooling time: 2 hours
Way to grill: direct and indirect medium heat
(350° to 450°F)
Grilling time: 18 to 22
minutes
Polenta
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
4 cups whole milk
1 cup polenta
1 teaspoon prepared chili powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
Sauce
2 slices yellow onion, each about 1/2 inch thick
4 tomatillos, about 1/2 pound total, papery skins removed,
rinsed
1 small poblano chile, 3 to 4 inches long
1/4 cup tightly packed fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 ounces queso
fresco cheese, crumbled
1 ripe Hass avocado

1. In a large
saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion
and cook until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes, stirring
occasionally. Add the milk, polenta, chili powder, and
salt; whisk to blend. Whisk often until the mixture
begins to boil. Turn the heat to very low and stir with a
wooden spoon almost constantly to prevent splattering or
burning. Cook and stir until the polenta is very thick
and no longer gritty to bite, 15 to 20
minutes.
2. Brush the
inside of an 8-inch square pan with 1 tablespoon of oil.
Scrape the hot polenta into the pan and spread into a
smooth, even layer. Let cool at room temperature for 2
hours. Prepare the grill for direct and indirect cooking
over medium heat.
3. Brush the onion
slices, tomatillos, and chile with oil. Brush the cooking
grates clean. Grill the vegetables over direct medium
heat, with the lid closed as much as possible, until the
onions are lightly charred, the tomatillos soften and
begin to collapse, and the chile is slightly softened and
lightly charred, turning as needed. The onions will take
8 to 10 minutes, the tomatillos about 10 minutes, and the
chile, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the
grill as they are done. Place the chile in a bowl. Cover
with plastic wrap and let steam for 10 to 15
minutes.
4. When the chile
is cool enough to handle, pull off and discard the skin,
stem, and seeds. Put the vegetables, the cilantro, brown
sugar, and salt in a food processor or blender. Whirl
until evenly pureed. Add more brown sugar and salt to
taste.
5. Invert the pan
of polenta onto a cutting board, tapping to release the
polenta if necessary. Cut the polenta into 4 to 8 pieces
of whatever size and shape you like.
6. Set the pieces
of polenta, smooth and oiled side down, over indirect
medium heat. Carefully pile the crumbed cheese on top of
each piece. Grill, with the lid closed, until the polenta
is warm and the cheese begins to melt, 8 to 10 minutes,
without turning. While the polenta is on the grill, peel
and thinly slice the avocado.
7. Transfer the
polenta to serving plates. Spoon the tomatillo sauce over
the polenta and top with avocado slices.
|