Colon of Carmen

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Vegetables &  Baked Polenta Casserole
with Market Greens & Sweet Onion

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3 green Anaheim chilis

6-8 small yellow or red potatoes

1 large sweet white onion chopped
3 whole large cloves garlic
1/2 cube salted butter
3 T. olive oil

2 c. braising greens chopped
2 med. tomatoes chopped

1 roll polenta
4 oz. fresh mozzarella
1/2 c. grated parmasean reggiono

salt & pepper to taste

Note – A glass loaf pan works well for this dish. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

1. Turn on oven to 500 degrees and place the fresh green chilis on the rack.  Set timer for about 20 minutes.  Once the kitchen fills with the aroma of fresh cooked chilis and the skins are nicely crisped on the outside, remove them from the oven and place in a plastic bag to cool. IThis step can be done the night or a couple of days before. Store the chilis in an air tight container in the fridge.)

2. Once cooled, pick up a chili and rub it between your fingers to separate the thin skin from soft green of the chili.  Carefully pull the thin skin away.  Slit open the chili with a sharp knife and scrape out the seeds.  Or, if you prefer a nice bite to your casserole leave all or somme of the seeds in. Remove the chili top and finely dice the chilis.  Place in a bowl and set aside.

3. Rinse and wash the potatoes and steam them whole in pot of boiling water until they are soft but firm when pierced with a fork.  Drain of water and gently mash them adding dash of salt, pepper and bit of butter. Put into a bowl and set aside.

4. To make a carmelized vegetable ragout, in a heavy skillet melt the butter with the olive oil on low heat.  When the better begins to foam add the chooped onion and garlic with a dash of salt.  Cook the onion garlic on a low saute stirring gently and often with a wooden spoon.  This should take a good 15 minutes. 

5.  Add the braising greens to the saute and continue cooking on low heat.  Once the greens are wilted add in the tomatoes.  Continue to cook on low heat until the tomatoes melt into the ragout.  Then turn off the heat and set the ragout aside.

6.  To assemble the casserole slice the roll of polenta into 10 or 12 slices.  Slice the mozzarella and place a small dot the size of a fifty cent piece in the center of each polenta. Begin with a layer of ragout, then lay three to four polenatas atop the ragout.  Follow by the potato.  Sprinkle the potato with parmesan and then repeat the layers again.  You should end with the ragout on top and sprinkle generously with parmasean. 

7.  Place the assembled dish carefully on the center rack of the oven and bake 40 minutes or until the cheese is browned on top and the contents are nice and bubbly.  Remove from the oven and let set 10 minutes prior to slicing.  This dish is really good the day after its baked and will slice more evenly on the second day.

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Yummy Soy Protein Shake

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8 oz. rice milk, or pulp free juice
2 T. bee pollen
1/2 bananna
3-4 ice cubes
1 scoop soy protien powder w/spirulina (I use Whole Foods generic)
1 T. fish oil
Pour all this into a mason jar or shaker that can be used on an osteriser blender. Blend thoroughly on high. Pour into a nice chilled glass. Enjoy!   

NOTE: Sometimes I add a generous scoop of rice cream (non-dairy) and cocoa powder.