Cornmeal Pine Nut Cookies

My husband was craving cookies and on a chilly afternoon, I decided to whip up a batch of these rather healthy little bites. Adapted from Mollie Katzen's excellent Sunlight Café, she suggests nibbling on them on your morning break with a hot drink. They are also nice to go along with your breakfast for that matter. Not too sweet at all, and flavored with pure maple syrup, complimented by pine nuts, a hint of lemon, vanilla and ginger, I will certainly make these again.

Ms. Katzen has lots of wonderful ideas for a stress-free breakfast, ranging from beverages, fruit creations, grains, quick breads, eggs, vegetables, beans, puddings and condiments and sauces to go along with many of the recipes. Readers will certainly be inspired to rethink their breakfast menus. Too often we get into the habit of eating the same old thing, including boxed cereals that are not especially good for you. Not all of the ideas here would do on a particularly busy morning - though many of the recipes can be prepared ahead of time - and if you have time or wish to have a delightful brunch or lunch, this is an ideal book to consult. Truly, the author offers a fresh approach to breakfast all day and your body will be happy for the range of nourishing ideas presented throughout, along with helpful and interesting information and tips.

Cornmeal Pine Nut Cookies

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from Mollie Katzens Sunlight Café Published on May 18, 2012 Easy, dense and chewy, and just slightly sweetened cornmeal and pine nut cookies flavored with pure maple syrup, a hint of lemon, vanilla and ginger Print this recipe Wet ingredients: 2 large eggs 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 cup maple syrup 2 tablespoons sesame oil 2/3 teaspoons vanilla Dry ingredients: 1 1/3 cups spelt or unbleached white flour 2/3 cup cornmeal 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest 2/3 cup pine nuts 2 teaspoons ground ginger Xylitol or sugar for sprinkling Instructions: Preheat an oven to 350° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, beat the eggs until smooth. Stir in the salt, maple syrup, sesame oil and vanilla. Stir well to combine. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, lemon zest, pine nuts and ginger. Transfer the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until well combined. With damp hands, roll a roughly 2 - 3 teaspoon piece of dough into a small ball. Flatten it into a round, about 1-inch in diameter. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough. Sprinkle each of the cookies with Xylitol or sugar. Bake for 15 minutes or until the cookies turn a nice golden color. Cool on a wire rack for another 15 minutes and serve. Makes about 15 cookies or more depending on how thin the dough is rolled.

More cookie recipes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen you are sure to enjoy:
Cayenne Peanut Butter Cookies
Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies
Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies

On the top of the reading stack: "Poor Folk" by Dostoyevsky

Audio Accompaniment: "On Land" by Brian Eno

Blue Cornmeal Bread with Goat Cheese, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Jalapeños

Whenever I am treated to a visit from my charming and cherished father-in-law, I like to treat him to something from my kitchen. He always enjoys my baked goods and, like me, is a fan of cornmeal. I drafted this recipe after some brainstorming. Quick breads like this are a speciality of mine. If you can't find blue cornmeal, use yellow cornmeal instead.

A moist cornbread that packs a bit of a punch, baking the jalapeños results in a slightly sweet flavor that reduces the heat and the goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes lend a delightful, rather understated tartness to the bread. Easy to prepare, and for best results use a seasoned cast-iron skillet. All you need to do to season a cast-iron skillet is to grease the pan with some oil and chuck it into the oven for about an hour at 300°. Let the pan cool and wipe off any excess oil. It is also important to note that if you need to wash your cast iron-skillet in dishwater instead of wiping it down, make sure to dry it right away to prevent rust. As well, seasoning it every once in a while helps to make this a perfect non-stick pan. Generally speaking, teflon skillets should be avoided because as they age, little bits of the toxic chemical component of teflon break up and leak into your food.

Blue Cornmeal Bread with Goat Cheese, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Jalapeños

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on March 4, 2012 A moist and ever-so-slightly sweet cornbread packed with sun-dried tomatoes, jalapeños and tart goat cheese Print this recipe Ingredients: 3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature 2 - 3 tablespoons sugar 1 cup blue cornmeal 4 large eggs 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose or spelt flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon sea salt 14 oz can of creamed corn (or 1 1/4 cups homemade creamed corn) 3 tablespoons plain yogurt 2 jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped 4 - 5 sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes, drained and finely chopped 5 1/2 oz goat cheese, crumbled dash of cayenne Instructions: Preheat an oven to 375°. Butter a cast-iron skillet or 13 × 9 inch baking dish. In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugar and beat with an handheld mixer or stand mixer until creamy. Now add the cornmeal to the bowl and beat until blended. Add the eggs, one at at time, beating well after each addition. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir and add to the bowl with the butter, eggs and cornmeal and beat until well combined. Now stir in the creamed corn, yogurt, jalapeno peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, goat cheese and cayenne. If you are using a cast-iron skillet, heat the buttered skillet in the oven for about 5 minutes. Add more butter to the pan and transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes or until golden and a cake tester comes out clean. Let sit for 15 - 20 minutes, cut into wedges and serve. Makes 6 -8 servings

More cornmeal recipes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen you are sure to enjoy:
Corn Cakes with Blue Cheese and Honey
Cornmeal Crusted Chili
Blueberry Cornmeal Muffins
Polenta Croutons

On the top of the reading stack: Simply South by Chandra Padmanabhan

Audio Accompaniment: Orphx and other Mutek sounds

Cherry-cornmeal upside down cake

It’s no secret I’m a big Martha Stewart fan – her recipes are delicious and work every time; I sometimes wish I were more skillful so I could make all the other beautiful projects on her website (I would love to learn how to sew and even bought a book on the subject a while ago). Speaking of that, would you please tell me if you know any good blogs on the subject? That would be really helpful!

Skillet Corn Bread

I made this cornbread for my father-in-law and brother-in-law and it was a hit. Taking it easy on Christmas gifts this year, but what better way to say I love you then to present homemade food? Does not matter what time of year it is for that matter. This cornbread can be made in a cast-iron skillet or a loaf pan, but I would recommend that you use a trusty cast-iron skillet that is seasoned properly. All you need to do to season a cast-iron skillet is to grease the pan with some oil and chuck it into the oven for about an hour at 300 degrees. Let the pan cool and wipe off excess oil.

I adapted this recipe from Once Upon a Tart by Frank Mentesana and Jerome Audureau. If I was to visit New York, I would be sure to stop by their bakeshop and cafe for some most delicious eats and I would bring my dear friend Susan too. In addition to tarts, they serve mouthwatering soups, sandwiches, salads, condiments, quick breads and cookies. All of the recipes I have tried from this beautifully illustrated informative book have worked out perfectly. I think this cookbook is out of print and that is a shame. If your wallet is stuffed with cash, the used copies are truly worth the money.

I have always been looking for blue cornmeal and finally found some at a local health food store. Made from whole blue corn and with a slightly sweet flavor, this is surely a staple to have on hand in addition to yellow cornmeal. I will be exploring this hard to find grain often.

Yet another idea for your Christmas dinner.

Skillet Corn Bread

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from Once Upon a Tart Published on December 19, 2011 A moist and delicious cornbread cooked in a skillet — with a beautiful soft texture like a cake and a wonderful blue and yellow cornmeal taste with a little mellow sweetness and gentle jalapeño heat, this cornbread is a great choice for an afternoon tea, and could almost be served as a guilt-free dessert Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 large egg 1 1/3 cups whole milk 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled 1 1/3 cups unbleached white flour 1/4 cup whole wheat flour or spelt flour 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal 1/2 cup blue cornmeal 2/3 cup sugar 2 - 3 jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon sea salt Instructions: Grease a cast-iron 9- or 10-inch skillet or a 9 × 5 loaf pan with a generous amount of butter. Preheat the oven to 450° (it will keep you warm as you mix up the ingredients). In a large bowl, whisk the egg together with the milk and melted butter. In another medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flours, cornmeal, sugar, jalapenos, baking powder and salt. With a spatula transfer the dry ingredients to the batter and gently fold, taking care not to over mix as you incorporate the mixture so that the flour is mixed throughout. Transfer the batter to the pan of your choosing, level with the spatula, and bake in the middle rack of the oven for 20 - 30 minutes until the bread is browned and separates slightly from the side of the pan. Insert a cake tester until is comes out clean and you are done. Cool on a wire rack and serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 6 servings

Other cornbreads from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen you are sure to enjoy:
Classic Cornbread
Yogurt Cornbread
Jalapeno Spoon Bread
Cornmeal Johnny Cake

On the top of the reading stack: Dostoevsky - "The Diary of a Writer"

Audio Accompaniment: B3yond

Apple cranberry croustade with cornmeal crust and another childhood favorite

Because I’ve been on a nostalgic mood lately, I bought an insane amount of Granny Smith apples last week – they were my favorite apples growing up (actually, they’re still are), and would lose only to strawberries in a favorite fruit contest. My dad used to find it quite funny that I loved something that tart as a kid – maybe it was a sign of the sour future to come in terms of flavor

Cornmeal Johnny Cake

This oven baked cornbread comes from Muffins and More by Jean Pare. The book was a gift from my mom and it has proved to be a valuable reference tool for quick breads for many years and was one of the earliest additions to my cookbook collection that has grown to be quite extensive over the years. I was most pleased with the result, as the bread turned out nice and moist with a rather custardy texture and flavour. Very easy to prepare and all you need to do once you mix up the ingredients is pop the bread into the oven for 20 minutes or so. Serve for breakfast, enjoy for lunch or in place of rolls for dinner.

Cornmeal Johnny Cake

1 cup of cornmeal
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoons of sea salt

2 eggs
1 cup of creamed corn
1/4 cup of oil
1 cup of sour cream

Grease or line a 8 X 8 pan with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, stir together the cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the eggs and beat well to combine. Fold in the creamed corn, oil and sour cream. Transfer to the prepared pan and bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 - 25 minutes or until nicely browned on top.

More cornmeal recipes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Mixed Berry Cornmeal Muffins
Polenta Croutons
Corn Cakes with Blue Cheese and Honey
Jalapeno Spoon Bread

On the top of the reading stack: Silk Road Cooking: A Vegetarian Journey by Najmieh Batmanglij

Audio Accompaniment: Dropsonde by Biosphere

Santa Fe Scones

There are very few things that please me as much as cooking up a nice dinner for valued family members. Scones are always such a comfort food and I served them with Macaroni and Paneer Cheese with Spinach as a special treat for my Dad, and his sweet girlfriend, my good friend Andrew and of course, my sweetie. Much more nourishing than take-out and moving around in my kitchen helped to keep me warm.

Santa Fe Scones

Adapted from The Best Quick Breads by Beth Hensperger

2 cups of unbleached white flour
1/2 cup of cornmeal
1 tablespoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of chili powder
1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
1/2 cup of cold, unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup of grated, extra old, cheddar cheese
1/2 cup of seeded red pepper, finely chopped
2 large eggs
3/4 cup of buttermilk

Line a baking pan with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, chili powder, cumin and salt. Cut the butter in with a fork or pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the cheese and red pepper. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.

In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and buttermilk. Add to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Knead the mixture gently with floured hands and shape into 2 inch rounds and transfer to the prepared baking sheet, one inch apart.

Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 15 - 20 minutes, until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for a few minutes and serve.

Yields 8 - 10 scones.

More delightful savory biscuits from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Fresh Cherry Scones with Buttermilk
Cheddar Parmesan Scones with Dill
Pumpkin Scones
Jalapeno Cheddar Scones

On the top of the reading stack: The National Post

Audio Accompaniment: Music For Films by Brian Eno

Rhubarb tarts

A dear friend of mine once blogged about “good envy” – is there such thing? I mean, can we associate envy with a positive adjective, even if it’s to show admiration for someone/something?

An example: during all these years into blogging I’ve been “envying” my lovely friends from Europe and USA for having lots of rhubarb around; now I could finally find it here in São Paulo (thank you, Ana!)

Yogurt Cornbread

Inspired by my Black-Eyed Pea Salsa, I decided to make this yogurt cornbread that I adapted from The Best Quick Breads by Beth Hensperger to serve along with it. Ms. Hensperger has lots of wonderful ideas for cornbread, along with other great ideas for quickbreads. This is a book I will continue to explore and I highly recommend it. This is a nice moist cornbread, with a bit of a kick because of the addition of jalapeno peppers (my addition in place of orange zest which is called for in the original recipe).

Yogurt Cornbread
1 cup of cornmeal
1 cup of unbleached white flour or spelt flour
2 tablespoons of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1 Jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
a dash of cayenne pepper
2 large eggs
1/4 cup of buttermilk
1 1/4 cups of yogurt or kefir
4 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted

Generously butter an 8 inch cake pan and set aside.

Combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, jalapeno pepper and cayenne in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, yogurt and butter. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 20 - 25 minutes until golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the bread. Let sit for 15 minutes and cut into wedges and serve.

More cornbread recipes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Classic Cornbread
Cornbread with Black Olives and Jalapeno Peppers
Jalapeno Cornbread

On the top of the reading stack: Encounter by Milan Kundera

Audio Accompaniment: Relative Silence

Mixed Berry Cornmeal Muffins

Muffins are a treat anytime of year, and these berry delights were a perfect excuse to take advantage of the exceptionally plentiful harvest this year. I highly recommend using fresh berries rather than frozen ones. The addition of cornmeal adds a wonderful crunch to the moist berries and some fine dark chocolate doesn't hurt either.

Just one bite and you will be hooked!

The warm weather has been too alluring to resist, so posting might be a bit lighter around here for a bit. The landlady's sister has also moved in downstairs with her two sweet little doggies - a very good excuse to go out for walks indeed. And yard work and sunshine beckons besides.

Mixed Berry Cornmeal Muffins

1 1/2 cups of spelt flour or unbleached white flour
3/4 cup of cornmeal
1/3 cup of sugar
4 teaspoons of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
1 teaspoon of orange zest
1 1/4 cups of mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries)
1/3 cup of crumbled dark chocolate
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup of milk
1/4 cup of sesame oil
1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla

Butter 12 muffin cups.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt and orange zest. Mix in the berries and the chocolate chunks. Make a well in the center of the bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, oil and vanilla. Fold into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.

Divide the dough evenly into the prepared muffin tins. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 15 - 20 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean. Leave the muffins in the tin for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool a bit before serving.

Other muffin recipes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen you are sure to enjoy:
Cherry Blueberry Muffins
Blueberry Goat Cheese Muffins
Cranberry Lemon Ricotta Muffins

On the top of the reading stack: Hitch-22: Some Confessions and Contradictions by Christopher Hitchens

Audio Accompaniment: There Is No-One What... by the Palace Brothers

Cornmeal Honey Muffins

If you want to impress your friends with baked goods, then I highly recommend these sweet, yet somewhat savory cornmeal muffins. The first time around, I misread the recipe and included significantly less cornmeal than the recipe called for! The muffins still worked out and I am inspired to come up with a cross between the sunken, moister version I originally served up and the chewier version that is more aligned with the original recipe. For dinner, a thick and creamy baked batch of Scalloped Potatoes with Best Ever Mushroom Sauce would be optimal.

Cornmeal Honey Muffins
Adapted from Once Upon a Tart

4 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted and cooled for a few minutes
1 1/2 cups of unbleached white flour
1/3 cup of spelt flour or whole wheat flour
1 cup of cornmeal
1/4 cup of sugar
1 tablespoon + 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
3/4 teaspoon of sea salt
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups of milk
2/3 cup of sesame oil
3 heaping tablespoons of honey (I used Tawari honey from New Zealand)
2 teaspoons of vanilla

Grease 12 muffins cups generously with butter.

In a large bowl whisk together the flours, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and then whisk in the milk, melted butter, oil, honey and vanilla.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, add the moist ingredients and stir until just combined. Divide the batter evenly into the prepared muffin cups.

Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for roughly 20 minutes, or until golden brown and the muffins are nicely browned on top. Cool on wire racks and serve warm or at room temperature. Just divine when smeared with some butter!

Makes 12 large muffins.

More cornbread muffin recipes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Quick and Easy Cornmeal Muffins
Blueberry Goat Cheese Muffins
Raspberry Cornmeal Muffins

On the top of the reading stack: The National Post

Audio Accompaniment: St. John Passion by Johann Sebastian Bach (Absolutely divine!)

Cornbread with Black Olives and Jalapeno Peppers

Cornbread really doesn't need an introduction. Modestly dry, with a hint of moisture if you please, and packed full of your favorites if desired, my focus this time around is on cornmeal, olives, hot peppers and dill. I was originally going to make Olive Tapenade again with my latest purchase of Kalamata olives, but once I got the idea of cornbread with olives in mind, the fate of the plump purple beauties was determined.

This is an easy bread to whip up once you've completed the somewhat laborious task of pitting the olives. An olive / cherry pitter speeds up the process. The unique flavors of the ingredients come together with harmonious bliss.

Cornbread with Black Olives and Jalapeno Peppers

1 cup of unbleached white flour
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
2 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup of buttermilk
1 egg
1/3 cup of fresh dill (or a few teaspoons of dried dill)
1 cup of black olives, pitted and sliced
3 - 4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped

Butter a 9-inch pie plate.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal and salt. In another medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, olive oil and egg. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.

Fold in the olives, dill and jalapenos.

Transfer to the prepared pie plate, spread the batter evenly and sprinkle the top with a bit of dill. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40 - 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Serves 4 - 6.

More cornbread recipes from my vegetarian kitchen:
Jalapeno Cornbread Wedges
Classic Cornbread
Jalapeno Spoon Bread

Corn Pancakes with Fresh Chunky Salsa

One of my favorite blogging events is Tried and Tasted, a monthly event started by Zlamushka. Each month a different blog is featured and participants are invited and encouraged to browse through and cook from the archives. Considering how many recipes I bookmark and print off to try, having a focus is certainly welcomed.

The event is hosted this time around by Tasty Curry Leaf, and Tasty Palettes, run by the talented Suganya, is the featured site for March. I was excited by this choice, as I've long been a fan and enjoyed more than a few of her creations. Asides from her stunning photography, Suganya's recipes are always a treat and a welcome addition to the dinner table. Even her easiest dishes add a gourmet element to the meal.

The hardest part of this challenge was to actually settle on a recipe as all of Suganya's recipes are tempting. I was originally going to go with this cheese stuffed Baked Portobello but instead decided to make her Corn Pancakes with Gazpacho Salsa because I liked the idea of a filling savory pancake dish to serve for dinner. I did make a few changes to the original recipe. I used yogurt instead of milk for the pancakes because I didn't have any milk in the fridge, and I changed the salsa around somewhat, most notably by making a chunky version instead of a blended version.

The result was a fresh and satisfying dinner, and though spring is slow in coming, I am already craving summer. This recipe can easily be doubled if you have more tummies to satisfy.

Corn Pancakes with Fresh Chunky Salsa

For the Corn Pancakes:

3/4 cup of unbleached white flour
3/4 cup of cornmeal
1 1/2 cups of corn (fresh or frozen - thawed if frozen)
1 cup of milk (I used yogurt)
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
1/4 of finely chopped fresh cilantro
olive oil for frying

For the Salsa:

2 ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
1 hot green chili, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, finely minced
1 red pepper, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon of dried basil
1 tablespoon of olive oil
sea salt to taste

To make the Corn Pancakes, combine the flour, baking powder, corn meal and salt in a medium large bowl. Add the corn and stir in the milk (or yogurt) and cilantro until just combined. If the mixture is too dry, add more milk or yogurt.

Heat a few teaspoons of olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Spoon in roughly 1/4 - 1/3 cup of batter per pancake (roughly 2 inches wide). Cook until browned - roughly 5 minutes - and flip and cook the other side until browned. Add more oil as necessary. Keep the pancakes warm in a 150 degree oven until ready to serve.

To make the Chunky Salsa, combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and stir well to combine. Serve over the hot corn pancakes.

Yields roughly 2 - 4 servings.

You might also enjoy:
Spicy Potato Pancakes
Rice Flour Pancakes
Blueberry and Cornmeal Buttermilk Pancakes

Polenta Croutons with Parmesan

Croutons are not something I normally use. My soups and salads tend to be substantial and flavourful enough without them. I've also found that store-bought varieties are about as appetizing as the crumbs lingering on the bottom of my toaster oven. Recently however, a co-worker passed on a recipe for a brothy tomato soup with Parmesan croutons and chive oil that sounded just perfect. In preparation, I deviated from the original recipe and made these Polenta Croutons with Parmesan cheese. They turned out so well, I found myself enjoying them as a snack.

I sprinkled the Parmesan over the cooked polenta, but in hindsight, I would increase the amount of cheese and stir some into the pot before transferring it to the pan to cool.

Polenta Parmesan Croutons

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on May 11, 2008 Dense and delicious polenta croutons baked with Parmesan cheese — these are great for salads and also hold their shape in soups — they're also terrific as a snack by themselves Print this recipe Ingredients: 3 cups water 1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal 1 teaspoon cayenne 1 teaspoon sea salt 2 teaspoons olive oil fresh cracked black pepper to taste 1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese Instructions: Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and pour in the cornmeal, stirring constantly. Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until the mixture is thickened. Remove from heat, and stir in the cayenne, salt, olive oil and black pepper. Grease an 8 × 8 baking pan. Transfer the polenta into the pan and spread evenly with a spatula or knife. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. Leave to cool. Preheat an oven to 450° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the polenta into small cubes and gently transfer the cubes to the baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes or until the croutons are crisp and golden, flipping occasionally with a pair of tongs so that each side of the cubes browns evenly. Makes about 3 dozen croutons