Polenta with Roasted Asparagus and Burrata

Polenta with Roasted Asparagus and Burrata

Easy and elegant. For the dairy-averse, substitute a poached egg for the Burrata.

Ingredients:

EVOO, 2 Tbsp or more to coat

1 large bundle of medium thickness asparagus, tough ends cut off

Salt and freshly ground pepper

16 ounce container of Burrata, or 1 medium size ball per person

Polenta:

1 cup polenta

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 cups of low sodium chicken stock

4 ounces finely grated Parmesan or Parmesan/Pecorino mix

3 Tbsp butter

Grape tomatoes, handful per person

Preheat the oven to 425 with rack in the middle of the oven. Line a 1/2 sheet with parchment. Spread asparagus on tray and coat asparagus well with EVOO. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 5-7 minutes. You will want the stalks to still be firm as they will continue to cook out of the oven.

While the asparagus is cooking, prep the polenta. Add the polenta, salt, pepper and chicken stock to the Instant Pot and put on sauté setting and heat until simmering. Stop sauté setting. Put Instant Pot cover on and seal. Cook on high pressure setting for 9 minutes, then manually release. Take the top off and whisk polenta, adding the butter and cheese. The polenta will thicken as it sits. Add more salt and pepper to taste. If you are serving it soon, put the Instant Pot on keep-warm setting.

Assemble: Plate the spears, polenta and Burrata. Add a few cut up tomatoes as an additional side and more color.