Good Friends and a Polenta-orama

Has anyone ever tried polenta who doesn’t love it? Infinitely versatile, polenta has been a favorite of my Italian family for years. I can remember when my great grandmother would cook polenta for our entire family. We’d gather in my great aunt’s bungalow, cramming ourselves into folding chairs set up in her basement, eager for the meal to start.  There, a spread of creamy polenta covering a huge wood board in the middle of the table would be served, topped with the most amazing hearty red sauce.  Back in the old country (as my elders would say), polenta was what the Northern Italian peasant class subsisted on– but today, polenta dishes can range from simple to downright decadent.

Every month, Foodbuzz.com chooses 24 bloggers from their Featured Publisher network to organize an event and then share the details with their readers via a blog post within 24 hours on the 24th day of the month (actually this month it’s on the 28^th of the month- for those keeping track).  For February 24, 24, 24, I wanted my Florida friends to experience the rustic charm of polenta that I remember from my childhood, but I also wanted to create a meal that showed the diversity of the ingredient. As true southerners, my friends know grits, but polenta was uncharted territory. Here’s how their polenta indoctrination went down:

The first course: Antipasti. Prosciutto, salami, cherry peppers stuffed with provolone, red peppers, and a variety of Italian cheeses.  Datz Delicatessen in Tampa has an extensive selection of cheeses and Travis, their cheese wiz, was immensely helpful making my choices. He turned me on to Tellagio and Umbraico al Prosecco (this cheese is soaked in Prosecco at the end of the maturation process and it literally pops in your mouth– give it a try if you can find it).

Polenta Cake with Shrimp Etoufee

The second course: Fried Polenta Cake with Shrimp Etouffee and Roasted Corn Relish. This is an Emeril Legasse recipe that was tedious and time-consuming, but worth every minute because it was a huge success! (One caution, the recipe calls for a roux made with olive oil. I had never made a roux with olive oil before and I gave up after two botched attempts, resorting to a tried-and-true butter-based roux in my trusty le Crueset.)  The sweet rock shrimp juxtaposed with the spicy sauce, the creamy/crispy polenta cake and the crunch of the corn relish hit all the right notes.

The third course: Polenta and Braised Pork Lasagne and a Mediterranean Chef Salad with Polenta Croutons. The “lasange” is how I remember polenta and this dish was hearty and satisfying. The triumph of this dish depends on the slow-cooked sauce–I cooked mine all day, which contributed to clean plates all around.  (The recipe made enough sauce to freeze for another time.) The salad was flavorful and straight-forward, and the roasted tomatoes and balsamic vinegar added some much-needed acidity.

The fourth course:  Creamy White Polenta with Mushrooms. I relied on a Smitten Kitchen recipe.  Imperative to the recipe is the lemon juice and the dollop of mascarpone cheese, without these items the dish would lack dimension. Here’s how smitten kitchen’s looked:

photo courtesy of Smitten Kitchen

Here’s how I served the dish to my guests:

The fifth course: Meyer Lemon Tart with Chocolate. Inspired by Suzanne’s Goin’s Sunday Suppers at Lucques, this tart was a light, zesty palate-cleanser. Obviously NOT a polenta dish, but at this point in the dinner, I think my guests had gotten the idea. Plus, I couldn’t resist this recipe because it just LOOKED so beautiful- especially with the Tuscan table theme.  Suzanne’s lemon curd was delicious and fool proof, but I had to resort to using Martha Stewart’s Pate Sucree recipe for the tart’s crust.  A perfect ending to a great meal with great friends.

Zest will be posting the recipes used for this dinner throughout the week. Please check back!

I served 2004 Mosella Riesling Kabinett with the spicy shrimp etouffee, and it was met with mixed reviews. Both the 2007 Ridge California Geyserville (paired with the creamy white polenta and mushrooms) and the 2005 Montefalco Rosso (served with the polenta lasagne) were hits. The impromptu karaoke session was an added bonus…

Ortanique's mojitos are the best in Miami

Best Mojitos in Miami, bar none. (If you are into that sort of thing). A Coral Gables Miracle Mile standard, Ortanique on the Mile focuses on Caribbean cuisine that highlights the fresh, tropical ingredients indigenous to the region—along with occasional Asian and South American flare. The tropical décor sets the stage for favorites such as double pork chop with jerk, topped with mango and papayas well as a wide selection of seafood dishes like conch ceviche, curried crabcakes and Black Bahamian grouper with a Bacardi rum glaze. Ortanique also features an excellent wine list. 278 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables FL, 33134. (305) 446-7710.

Does anyone really need an excuse to indulge in the highlight of American breakfast? Interestingly enough, “Pancake Day” or “Pancake Tuesday” didn’t get its name in America. A colloquial term originating in the United Kingdom and Ireland for Shrove Tuesday, i.e. Fat Tuesday or the Tuesday before Lent begins, Christians coined the phrase “Pancake Day” because it was the last day that milk, butter and eggs—which were forbidden during the abstinence of Lent—could be eaten. Pancake recipes were an efficient way to use up these ingredients before they would spoil during the 40-day fasting period.

Lenten sacrifice aside, Florida has its share of notable breakfast joints. The following are our Insiders’ favorite places to get a great stack of flapjacks:

Circle’s. Blueberry pancakes are tops at this South Tampa bruncherie situated in a quaint bungalow. 2500 W. Azeele Street, Tampa, FL, 33609. Tel: (813) 879-5228.

Airport Tiki. They don’t call them hundred-dollar pancakes for nothing! This hut on the Fort Pierce Airport tarmac is where the private jet set gets their grub on. Private pilots looking for an excuse to fly could pony up $100 for a two-hour plane rental, fuel and the opportunity to get out of dodge for a meal. (This may not account for today’s economic climate though. Two hundred dollar pancakes anyone?) 2982 Curtis King Blvd, Fort Pierce, 34946. Tel: (772) 489-2285.

Blue Heaven. Choose from Banana, Pecan and Pineapple pancakes in second-to-none Key West ambiance. Zest’s Best Key West Restaurant. 729 Thomas Street, Key West, FL. Tel: (305) 296-8666.

Farmer John’s Key West Café. On the other side of the state from Key West, this Brooksville café serves up a huge selection of pancakes–many not surprisingly, with a tropical flair. 966 E Jefferson Street, Brooksville, FL 34601. Tel: (352) 754-8787.

Connie’s Cafe. This understated New Port Richey breakfast place keeps it simple with diner standards—but always gets it right. 8165 State Road 52, Hudson, FL, 34667. Tel: (727) 862-8797.

Lester’s Diner. Open 24-7 since 1968, this campy Fort Lauderdale institution has been a perennial Insider favorite. Prices are cheap, service is good, and the pancakes (and milkshakes!) are even better. 250 West State Road 84, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315. Tel: (954) 525-5641.

Platanos Maduros Fritos and other Cuban favorites are Arco Iris Cafe

The Cuban/Chinese combo at this Tampa restaurant may make you step back for a second and say “huh,” but you will leave Arco Iris Cafe saying nothing but “yum.” Located off of North Dale Mabry on West Columbus Drive on what some call “Boliche Boulevard,” Arco Iris Café is favorite haunt of Cuban locals, serving up some of the best Cuban fare in Tampa.  Insiders rave about cuban favorites like Ropa Vieja (stewed & shredded beef brisket in a tomato sauce) the Morros y Christianos (black beans & white rice), the Vaca Fritas (fried, shredded beef), But the Cuban-Chinese fried rice that is served with a variety of meats and even plantains, also gets high marks. Service is friendly and quick at Arco Iris– and while the restaurant is simple, it is immaculate. Beer, wine, sangria and a variety of Cuban sodas, like Materva, are offered. Entrees range from $6.5 to $15 with the majority of entrees on the lower end of that scale. 4001 North Habana Avenue, Tampa, FL 33607. Tel: (813) 872-8306.

We are very excited to have been selected by Foodbuzz to be included in their coverage of “February 24, 24, 24.”   On February 27, Zest is planning on having houseful of friends for a family-style menu featuring antipasti, a polenta bar and of course,  lots of good vino, which will be showcased in the Foodbuzz Food Blog Community the next day.

Each month, Foodbuzz showcases posts from 24 Foodbuzz Featured Publisher bloggers, highlighting 24 unique meals occurring around the globe during a 24-hour period. (hence, the “24, 24, 24”)

Stayed tuned for coverage and photos!

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