Fresh Corn Polenta With Sautéed Eggplant

Heat olive oil in medium saucepan. Stir in onions, bring up to a sizzle, cover and cook over low heat until completely soft, at least 10 minutes.

Turn heat up to medium, add garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring all the time.

Add eggplant and cook, stirring well, for 2 minutes. Cover and turn heat down to medium/medium low and let eggplant steam for 5 minutes, stirring once. Turn down to medium low and cook, covered, for another 5 minutes or until eggplant is soft. (If it’s sticking, turn down heat to low.)

Add tomatoes, bring to a simmer and cook, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

(serves 4)

adapted from Chez Elaine’s Fresh Corn Polenta with Ricotta

6 ears fresh corn (5 to 6 cups)

1 tbl. extra virgin olive oil

1 tbl. unsalted butter

1½ cups chopped onions

¼ tsp. Kosher salt

1 clove garlic, peeled with center stalk removed and pressed through a garlic press or finely chopped

1 cup milk and cream (I put 2 tbls. cream in the bottom of a cup measure and filled it up to one cup with 1% milk)

2 sprigs of rosemary

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

¼ cup of fresh ricotta

To serve: Top with Sautéed Eggplant with Tomatoes (recipe follows)

Peel and de-silk the corn. (Careful. Some garbage disposals don’t like corn silk.) Hold the ears over a bundt pan and cut the kernels away from the cob. A sharp serrated paring knife is just the thing for getting as much of the corn as possible. You should have in the neighborhood of 5 to 6 cups. Set aside.

Heat olive oil and butter in a large sauté pan until foaming. Stir in onion and ¼ teaspoon of Kosher salt, cover, and turn heat down to low. Cook until onion completely soft, at least 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Turn heat to medium, stir in garlic and cook for 2 minutes. (Don’t stop stirring.) Add corn and sauté for about 4 minutes. Stir in milk and cream mixture. Bring to a boil, turn down heat to medium low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and pour into food processor. Process for 2 minutes until smooth, stopping the processor every 30 seconds. Pour back into sauté pan and add rosemary sprigs. Cook for another 15 minutes until thick. Remove rosemary and stir in fresh ricotta. Taste for seasoning. Serve topped with Sautéed Eggplant with Tomatoes.

Puréeing note: You can cook the corn with the milk and cream for the full 25 minutes and THEN purée it. You’ll have a smoother mixture that way. If it’s not thick enough, just put it back over the heat for few minutes. Elaine doesn’t purée hers at all. She likes the coarser texture, but I wanted mine to resemble polenta.

Sautéed Eggplant with Tomatoes

1 tbl. olive oil

1½ cups chopped onions

2 cloves garlic, peeled with center stalk removed and pressed through a garlic press or finely chopped

3 small speckled eggplant (any other variety), partially peeled in stripes and cut into ½” dice to make 5 or 6 cups

1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes OR 2 cups fresh tomatoes, diced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper