Poached Eggs with Polenta

Source: Cooking Light

Salsa:
1/3 cup chopped bottled roasted red bell peppers
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon extravirgin olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large plum tomato, seeded and diced (about 1/3 cup)

Polenta:
4 cups water
1 1/2 cups frozen white corn kernels, thawed
1 cup white cornmeal or dry polenta
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
3 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon butter
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Eggs:
4 large eggs
Cooking spray

Remaining ingredient:
2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (leave out bacon to make this dish vegetarian)

To prepare salsa, combine bell pepper, basil, oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and tomato; set aside.

To prepare polenta, bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add corn, cornmeal, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook 2 minutes or until cornmeal mixture returns to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low; cook 20 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, Parmesan cheese, butter, and black pepper. Cover and keep warm.

To prepare eggs, while polenta cooks, add water to a large skillet, filling two-thirds full; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer. Break eggs into each of 4 (6-ounce) custard cups coated with cooking spray. Place custard cups in simmering water in pan. Cover pan; cook 6 minutes. Remove custard cups from water; carefully remove eggs from custard cups.

Spoon about 1 cup polenta onto each of 4 plates; top each serving with about 3 tablespoons salsa and 1 poached egg. Sprinkle evenly with bacon.

Yield: 4 servings

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 307 (30% from fat); FAT 10.3g (sat 3.4g,mono 4g,poly 1.6g); PROTEIN 14.2g; CHOLESTEROL 221mg; CALCIUM 78mg; SODIUM 664mg; FIBER 4.6g; IRON 1.9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 40.5g

Maureen Callahan
Cooking Light, JANUARY 2006

I talked about this recipe HERE.