Grilled Polenta Bites with Roasted Red Pepper, Feta, and Thyme
Grilled polenta bites topped with a homemade roasted red pepper, feta, and thyme topping. Serve as a bite-sized spring or summer appetizer!
Ingredients
Roasted Red Pepper, Feta, and Thyme Spread:
- 3 large red bell peppers
- ¼ cup (60 mL) extra virgin olive oil
- 6-8 garlic confit cloves or roasted garlic cloves roughly chopped
- 3 ounces feta cheese, in brine crumbled into large chunks
- 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme plus more for garnishing
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Grilled Polenta:
- 2 (18-ounce) tube pre-cooked polenta
- extra virgin olive oil for brushing
- kosher salt
Instructions
- Prepare spread: Preheat the oven broiler. Place the bell peppers on a foil-lined half sheet pan and slide under the broiler. Allow the peppers to char on all sides, rotating them with tongs every few minutes. This will take anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes, roughly.
- Transfer the peppers to a bowl and allow to cool until comfortable to handle, then cut in half, discarding the stems, seeds, and peel. Slice the peeled roasted peppers into thick strips and place in a large bowl with the olive oil, garlic confit cloves (or roasted garlic), and thyme sprigs. Allow to marinate for 15 to 20 minutes while you prepare the polenta rounds.
- Prepare polenta: Trim and discard the ends of the polenta tubes. Slice the logs into ½-inch thick rounds (this should yield roughly 10 rounds per tube). Brush (or spray) both sides of the polenta discs with olive oil. Heat a large grill pan or outdoor gas grill over medium-high heat. Grill the polenta discs for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, flipping them carefully to avoid breaking them. Place on a platter, sprinkle lightly with salt, and allow the grilled polenta to cool slightly while you finish preparing the topping.
- Remove the strips of roasted red pepper from the oil, allowing most of the oil to drip off, and place in a small food processor. Pulse the peppers until roughly chopped. Transfer to a medium bowl, add the roughly chopped confit (or roasted) garlic cloves, and stir in the crumbled feta. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Top each piece of grilled polenta with a large spoonful of pepper spread. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves. Serve immediately.
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 98kcal, Carbohydrates: 4g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 8mg, Sodium: 200mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g