Grilled Polenta Triangles with Grilled Vegetable Relish

Grilled Polenta Triangles

1 cup polenta
4 cups water
1 tsp. sea salt
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Optional- 2 Tbs. butter

1. Bring water to a boil in a sauce pan. Add in salt and polenta and whisk until it thickens slightly. Lower heat and simmer for 7-9 minutes, stirring occasionally (polenta should be smooth and creamy with no crunchiness). Adjust salt if needed. Remove from heat and whisk in cheese & butter.

2. Pour into a 12 X 9 inch oiled sheet pan or baking dish and set aside to cool completely. Polenta can be made 1-2 days in advanced and stored in the refrigerator.

3. Cut polenta into 3 X 4 inch squares. Carefully remove from pan and then cut into triangles.

4. To grill, preheat grill to medium-high heat. Oil tops of polenta triangles and place onto oiled grill. Grill triangles for 5-7 minutes on first side or until the polenta is nicely browned. Turn triangles over and grill for 2-3 more minutes. Place triangles onto a decorative platter and top with grilled vegetable relish. Serve triangles warm.

Grilled Vegetable Relish

1 medium eggplant
1 fennel bulb
1 red bell pepper
4 roma tomatoes
4 green onions, trim off root ends
½ cup Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
¼ cup toasted pine nuts or walnuts
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh oregano
2 Tbs. finely chopped flat leaf parsley
2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil plus more for grilling
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

1. Cut off ends of the eggplant and slice into ½ inch thick slices. Generously oil eggplant and season with salt and pepper. Preheat grill to medium heat. Grill the eggplant until soft and nicely browned (brush eggplant with a bit more olive oil if it looks dry). Cool before cutting. Dice eggplant into ½ inch cubes.

2. Cut fennel into fourths and brush with olive oil. Grill fennel until soft turning occasionally (7-8 minutes). Dice fennel. Grill red pepper whole until exterior is charred and has softened. Let pepper cool before handling. Remove seeds and most of skin from pepper and finely dice.
3. Cut tomatoes in half across the equator. Oil tomatoes and grill them cut side down first for 5-6 minutes per side to get a nice char onto both sides of the tomato. Dice tomatoes.
4. Brush green onions with olive oil and grill whole until the onions are nicely browned. Dice greens onions.
5. In a mixing bowl, combine the grilled and diced vegetables with the olives, chopped pine nuts, garlic, herbs, red wine vinegar and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and mix well. Adjust seasoning if needed. Serve over the polenta triangles.