I’ve had this brunch cookbook for a long time and whenever I go out to brunch I usually get some sort of rancheros or mexican dish, but for some reason I never put those two thoughts together and made this Polenta Rancheros recipe. What a unfortunate oversight. Now that I’ve made it I want to eat it all the time. Its so delicious and super easy, but also pretty heavy (so you don’t need much).
On the bottom are beans in a spicy tomato-based sauce. You cook up some vegetables in a pan, then blend them all up to be a smooth sauce. It gets a lot of spice from the two serrano peppers in there. For the polenta part, we usually just make our regular grits recipe. Both are made from cornmeal, and I would argue only different in name based on where they come from. So I didn’t do it with broth or for as long, just water and grits, then added in some butter, milk, herbs, and salt and pepper. I think I also made less than the recipe calls for. It does say in the book that there will be extra polenta that you can save for later, so why not just make less to start? Anyway, that is spooned on top of the beans and we topped it off with cherry tomatoes, avocado, and vegan sour cream. Everything goes so well together. Its nice to have a little brightness from the fresh tomatoes, and the creamy tartness from the sour cream (and I’m usually a person who would opt for no tomatoes and no sour cream. This really is something special). The creamy grits contrast nicely with the bean texture while the spice from the beans carries throughout the whole dish.
I made some quick fried plantains as a side dish. I feel like you don’t really need a recipe for those, just fry on each side and smash down, but I included one below to spell out all the steps. Plantains are one of my favorite things, but usually hard to find in the store. I’m so glad that they’re a pretty regular thing at my local produce market here. Sprinkling them with a little bit of salt after frying really brings out the flavor.
Polenta Rancheros
from Vegan Brunch: Homestyle Recipes Worth Waking Up For - from Asparagus Omelets to Pumpkin Pancakes serves 4 - 6
Rancheros Sauce and Beans:
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp coriander seeds
2 tbsp oil
1 large yellow onion, diced medium
2 serrano peppers, seeded and chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 fifteen-ounce can tomato sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp maple syrup or agave nectar
2 fifteen-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
Soft Polenta:
5 cups vegetable broth
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup polenta cornmeal
2 tbsp olive oil
Optional items for Garnish:
Chopped green onions
Sour Cream
Guacamole
Cherry tomatoes
Instructions:
Prepare the Rancheros Sauce and Beans: Preheat a large pan over medium heat. Dry toast the seeds in the pan for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until they’re fragrant and a few shades darker (be careful not to burn).
Raise the heat to medium-high, add the oil, and sauté the onion, peppers, and garlic for about 10 minutes, until onion is browned.
Add the tomato sauce, salt, and syrup and cook for about 5 minutes.
Transfer the onion mixture to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
Return the sauce to the pan and add the beans. Cook over medium heat until the beans are heated through, about 5 minutes.
Prepare the Polenta: In a saucepan, bring the broth and salt to a boil. Add the polenta in a slow, steady stream, whisking as you pour it. Add the olive oil and lower the heat to simmer. Let cook for 12 minutes, stirring often.
Turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
To Serve: Wide shallow bowls are ideal, but any bowl should be fine. Ladle some beans into the bowl and top with a big spoonful of polenta. Dot with sour cream by drizzling drops slowly from a tablespoon, and top with a dollop of guacamole. Finish it off with chopped green onions and a cherry tomato.
Fried Plantains
from Vegan Brunch: Homestyle Recipes Worth Waking Up For - from Asparagus Omelets to Pumpkin Pancakes serves 4 - 6
Ingredients:
2 plantains
vegetable oil for frying
salt, to taste
Instructions:
Slice the plantains on a bias into 1/2-inch slices.
Pre-heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to the skillet until its 1/4-inch deep.
When the oil is hot, add half the plantains or so - just don’t overcrowd the pan.
Fry plantains about a minute, then flip. Fry for a minute longer, then flip again.
This time press the plantains down into the skillet until they’re about half as thick.
Fry for 45 seconds or so and then flip yet again and fry for another 45 seconds.
Transfer to a plate covered in paper towels to drain. Sprikle with salt.
Repeat with remaining plantains. Serve immediately.