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Polenta Caprese Stackers is a creative twist on a classic caprese salad, with cornmeal polenta adding a chewy layer as a counterpoint to the juicy tomato, creamy mozzarella and herbal basil.
A caprese salad is a wondrous salad of summer — a traditional Italian appetizer made from the ripest, juiciest tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese and fresh basil leaves. A caprese is a naturally stunning salad, and is most often arrayed on a serving platter, the ovals overlapping. What if, I wondered, we stacked it so each person was served a stack, and we inserted a grilled polenta layer for a little bit more chew and interest?
It turns out that’s a wonderful idea, or at least we thought so! I serves these as dinner the other night, with a cup of tomato soup alongside.
How to make Polenta Caprese Stackers
Assemble your ingredients. In this case, a few select ingredients are going to add up to a lot of flavor.
Grill the polenta. First, dribble a little olive oil on the panini press. This will help the polenta get a crispy exterior.
Then add the polenta slices and cook until slightly browned and crisped. For ease, I am using prepared polenta in a tube, although you could certainly make your own polenta and after it cooled, cut it into the size and shape you wanted. I have an Oven Polenta Recipe you might like to try for this purpose. But today, I’m using Hatch Chile flavored polenta in a tube, sold by Melissa’s Produce and found in the produce section of the supermarket. The Hatch chiles really give this a teeny kick, and a lot of flavor.
Slice the tomatoes thickly.
Slice the cheese thickly.
Place tomatoes on a platter (or individual plates if you prefer to plate them).
Top with cooked polenta slices. If the tomato slice is particularly large, you may want to use more than 1 polenta slice and puzzle-piece it. Top with a slice of cheese.
Finish with a drizzle of balsamic glaze.
Tuck some basil around it, or tear off the leaves and sprinkle top with leaves, your choice.
Shall we make Polenta Caprese Stackers? I guarantee it will be the easiest, most delicious meal you’ve made this summer.
Polenta Caprese Stackers is a creative twist on a classic caprese salad, with cornmeal polenta adding a chewy layer as a counterpoint to the juicy tomato, creamy mozzarella and herbal basil.
Ingredients
- 1 (1-pound) tube of prepared polenta (I used Melissa's Produce Hatch Chile flavor)
- 3 heirloom tomatoes
- 1 (12-ounce) package fresh mozzarella
- Basil leaves
- Balsamic vinegar glaze
Directions
- Grill polenta: Heat a panini grill, remove polenta from plastic tube and slice polenta into thick slices (maybe 8-10 slices or so). Dribble a little bit of olive oil onto the griddle, and add polenta to the hot griddle in one layer. Close lid and cook until slightly browned and starting to crisp, about 5-10 minutes. Or you may cook the polenta slices in a skillet if you like, flipping to get them browned on each side.
- While polenta is grilling, slice the tomatoes into thick slices and set aside. I like to let them rest on a paper towel, which will absorb some of the moisture. Arrange tomatoes on a platter or individual plates. Meanwhile, slice the cheese into thick slices as well, and set it aside.
- When polenta slices are done, place a slice of polenta on top of each tomato slice, top with a slice of cheese, and then a drizzle of balsamic glaze. Toss basil leaves on top, and you're done!
- Serve one stack as an appetizer, or 2-3 stacks per person if you are eating it as a main dish for lunch or dinner.
- Serves 4-8, depending on which course it is.
Notes
Recipe source: Dorothy Reinhold | Shockingly Delicious
Pin the Polenta Caprese Stackers image below to your Pinterest board to save this recipe
Welcome to Progressive Eats, our virtual version of a Progressive Dinner Party. This month’s theme is Summer and Fall Salads, and our host is Jane who blogs at The Heritage Cook.
If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, a progressive dinner involves going from house to house, enjoying a different course at each location. With Progressive Eats it’s a virtual party. A theme is chosen each month, members share recipes suitable for a delicious meal or party, and you can hop from blog to blog to check them out. Come along and see all of the delicious and inspired dishes!
Summer and Fall Salads
- Roasted Fall Veggie Salad – The Red Head Baker
- Polenta Caprese Stackers – Shockingly Delicious
- Spinach, Almond and Berries Salad – That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Antipasta Pasta Salad – The Heritage Cook
- Mixed Greens, Peach and Corn Salad with Balsamic Maple Vinaigrette – Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Easy Cole Slaw – Mother Would Know
- Simple Vegan Chickpea Salad with Olives – The Wimpy Vegetarian
- Brussels sprouts Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette – Sarah’s Cucina Bella
- Goat Cheese Salad with Raspberry Dressing – Creative Culinary
Would you like to try other caprese ideas?
Pesto Caprese French Bread Pizza
Traditional Heirloom Caprese Salad
Summer Mango Caprese Salad with Truffle Salt
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Welcome to my kitchen!
At ShockD, you’ll find scrumptious, tried & true, "scary good" recipes, tips and coaching to make YOU a fabulous home cook! Don't blame me if you need a 12-step program to wean yourself away!
E-mail me: Dorothy.Reinhold@gmail.com
{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
I actually have some polenta in the refrigerator that I made earlier this week and could use that! And I have more tomatoes ripening in my deck “garden”. So I’m all set to make this. It’s the perfect lunch for me!
Susan,
I am eating it frequently for lunch, before the tomatoes give up for the season.
These look delicious! I never thought to use polenta that way! I must try these before this year’s tomato season ends.
I love the contrast of the warm, crisp-chewy polenta against the cool, juicy tomatoes and creamy cheese. Sounds wonderful! And those tomatoes are just PERFECT.
Grilled polenta is the best but we really loved the addition of the cheese and tomatoes! So good!
These look like a great snack options! Going to get everything to make it this weekend!
These are super cute! I’ve never tried the premade polenta and I love what you did with it in the panini press.
Karen,
I’m a new fan of the premade polenta! By the time I think of polenta, it is usually too late to make it for that dinner, so having this in the pantry is a huge help!
I really love this idea! Such an amazing appetizer!
This looks so delicious and tasty! I can’t wait to give this a try! My husband is going to love this!
These Polenta Caprese Stackers are mouth watering!
This looks so tasty I cannot wait to try it out!
Such a perfect and flavorful salad! Looks worthy of a restaurant, indeed
What a wonderful twist on the classic Dorothy! I love the addition of the polenta, especially Hatch chile flavored from Melissa’s!! They are beautiful and I would happily eat stack after stack, LOL.
Jane,
I’m sure if you had this at a restaurant, they would bring you one on a plate, as an appetizer. We have decided that 2-4 on a plate is a meal!
These are PERFECT for all the green tomatoes in the garden that will be ripe soon! Absolutely delicious idea and so easy!