Polenta is made from yellow corn and is a great alternative to pasta as it’s gluten free. Grilling polenta is an excellent cooking method which gives it a golden crust while maintaining a chewy center. Polenta is generally sold precooked in a plastic tube. You just slice it, heat it and eat it. I prefer to use an indoor grill or skillet for this recipe as most barbecues have a wide grill which doesn’t seem to work as well with the delicate nature of polenta. If you do not have an indoor grill you can use a frying pan instead.

• Ingredients
• 1 kg tube of polenta
• 1 tablespoon olive oil + extra for brushing
• 1 cup onions, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup canned tomatoes, diced
• 1 cup fresh tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup black olives, chopped
• 1/2 cup red wine (I like Cono Sur Organic Pinot Noir)
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup basil, chopped

Directions:

Slice the end off the plastic wrapper and remove the polenta. Place onto a cutting board and slice it into 1/2 inch rounds and set onto a wide platter or plate. Brush each slice with olive oil. Heat your grill over medium heat and place the polenta slices with the oiled side down in a single layer on the grill. Brush the tops with additional olive oil. Cook for 5 minutes until a nice crust is formed and carefully flip over. Continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes.

While the polenta is cooking, place 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium heat and saute the onions and garlic until translucent. Add the tomatoes, olives, tomato paste, vinegar, wine and spices and simmer until the polenta is fully cooked. To serve, place the grilled polenta onto a platter and spoon the tomato sauce over top. Finish with fresh basil.