Rukmini Iyer's latest quick and easy recipe offers a comforting spring dinner: cheesy polenta with tomatoes, butter beans and pesto, ready in just 30 minutes. The dish uses quick-cook polenta, which takes under two minutes to prepare, making it a perfect weeknight option.
The recipe also provides a clever tip for a second meal: chill any leftover polenta overnight, then cut it into squares, chips or shapes and fry until crisp. This 'cook once, eat twice' approach requires minimal extra effort.
To make the dish, fry grated garlic in olive oil for a minute, then add halved cherry tomatoes and cook for five minutes. Stir in drained butter beans, cover and cook for another five minutes. Meanwhile, bring vegetable stock to a boil, whisk in quick-cook polenta and cook for 90 seconds until thickened. Stir in grated Parmesan, salt and lemon juice until the polenta has a lava-like consistency.
Serve the polenta in wide bowls, topped with the tomato and butter bean mixture, a drizzle of basil pesto and a handful of toasted pine nuts. Adjust seasoning with extra salt or lemon juice as needed.
