Olive & Thyme Tomato Confit Over Polenta
A bold-flavored dish that is hearty enough to be a main, but perfect along side a lovely steak or piece of fish.
Ingredients
- 5 Cups Water
- 1 1/2 Tsp Salt
- 1 Cup Polenta
- 4 Tbs Butter
- 2/3 Cup Olive Oil
- 2 Cups Cherry Tomatoes
- 3/4 Cup Sliced Mixed Olives
- 2 Cloves Garlic
- 2 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
- Salt + Pepper to Taste
Instructions
- Bring the water to a boil, add the salt and then slowly whisk in the polenta.
- Turn the heat to low and cook for 30-40 minutes, whisking consistently throughout.
- While the polenta is cooking, get a sauce pan over medium-low heat and then add the olive oil, tomatoes, olives, garlic, thyme - keeping the thyme on the sprig and the garlic whole, as you will remove them before serving.
- Cook the tomato confit just until the tomatoes start to soften or until the first few get a little burst-y. This only took me about 10 minutes but will depend on the size of the tomatoes and the heat.
- Once the tomatoes are cooked, spoon the confit into a bowl being sure to grab the flavorful olive oil with the tomatoes and olives.
- Remove the thyme sprigs and the whole garlic cloves (you can easily keep the cloves to use later) and set aside until the polenta is finished cooking.
- When the polenta is thickened but still creamy, add the butter and whisk. Taste and add more butter or salt as needed, but keep in mind the olives will add more saltiness.
- Spoon the polenta into a large shallow bowl and top generously with the tomato & olive confit.
- Voila! Serve as a main or with a lovely piece of fish, steak or chicken.