A delicious side or starter of crispy baked polenta chips with a “cheesy” flavour from the addition of some nutritional yeast and tamari. The addition of a spoon of white miso softens, sweetens and adds another flavour layer to the salsa.
Cheezy Baked Polenta Chips With A White Miso Salsa
Makes 18 – 20 chips
Serves 2
Preparation time – 5 mins
Cooking time – 1 hour
For the chips
500ml water 100g
Instant polenta
2 tsp tamari or soy sauce
2 tsp nutritional yeast
pinch dried oregano or mixed herbs
1 tbs olive oil
Pinch sea salt
Pour the water into a pan and bring to the boil. Pour the polenta in very slowly whisking all the time until you have a smooth paste. Carry on whisking until the polenta has thickened, this should take about 7 minutes. Stir in the tamari, nutritional yeast and herbs.
Line a 10cm square container with plastic wrap, then grease it with a drop of olive oil. Remove the polenta from the heat, allow to cool for a few minutes then transfer to the lined container pushing the mixture into the corners and smoothing the top. Cover and allow to cool and firm up for at least 20 minutes.
Turn the block of polenta out of the container and peel off the plastic wrap. Cut into chips each about 5 – 6cm long, and 1cm across. The number you will get will depend on the size and shape of your container.
Preheat the oven to 190C / GM5. Drizzle the oil onto a non-stick baking sheet, roll the polenta chips in it to coat, spread them out then sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes until golden, turning once.
Serve immediately with salsa or your choice of dip.
White Miso Salsa
1/2 teaspoon white miso
1 tsp olive oil
Zest half a lime
10 cherry tomatoes
1/2 spring onion - finely chopped
1/2 red chilli – finely chopped (to taste)
Pinch sea salt
Stir the miso, olive oil and lime zest together in a bowl to make a paste. Add all the other ingredients and mix well. Allow to rest for at least an hour before serving to let the flavours mingle.
Substitute different ingredients to flavour the polenta chips, miso would work well in place of the nutritional yeast.
Helen Best-Shaw is a freelance food & travel writer and photographer. Her blog Fuss Free Flavours is brimming with easy, affordable, tasty recipes you will make again and again.
Recipe from Helen Best-Shaw in association with Influencer Champions. Find more of her recipes by visiting https://fussfreeflavours.com