I just love simple little side dishes and fun hors d’oeuvres. These Grilled Polenta and Vegetable Stacks are the best of both worlds. They can be used for either a side dish or a hors d’oeuvre.
They are not only pleasing to the eye , they are super yummy (and healthy) as well. And, did I mention, simple to make? All you will need are few simple ingredients, a grill and about 30 minutes to make these little tasty bites.
How to make grilled polenta and vegetable stacks:
First, take a couple of zucchini’s, wash them well and then cut into 1/8-1/4 inch thick biased cut slices. Next, you will need to wash and cut 1 red and 1 yellow pepper into nice sized strips (a little smaller than the squash).
Then, take about a dozen crimini mushrooms (I always make a few extra, for tasters) and quickly wash and remove the stems. Do not let the mushrooms sit or soak in water. They are like little sponges, you don’t want them to soak up any water. Just a quick rinse in a colander will do. Or brush off the dirt with a clean soft towel.
Toss the vegetables with a bit of olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Grill the veggies until just cooked through (don’t over cook them) and be sure to get some nice grill marks on there. Once the veggies are done, set aside.
Take the roll of polenta and slice into twelve even slices (about 1/4 inch or so). You will want the slices thick enough so they don’t fall apart. I got twelve slices out of my roll, minus the ends.
Brush the polenta slices with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to season. Grill slices, a couple of minutes on each side, making sure to get those nice grill marks. Since the polenta is already cooked, you will only need to cook it long enough to heat it through.
Once the polenta is done, you can start making your stacks. Top each slice of polenta with a couple of the grilled zucchini slices. Then top with a yellow pepper slice and a red pepper slice. Finish off each stack with a mushroom cap and asparagus then garnish of fresh herbs of your choice (I used fresh Basil) and a sprinkle of parmesan.
Serve on a platter or board with a side of balsamic vinaigrette for drizzling on top. Yum!
Try these yummy stacks with my Lemon Rosemary Grilled Chicken!
Wine Suggestions:
- Dry Rose’
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Pinot Noir
- Chardonnay
Ingredients
For the veggie stacks
- 2 zucchini squash, sliced biased cut
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
- 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
- 12 crimini mushrooms, washed and stems removed
- 1 bunch asparagus spears
- 1 roll cooked polenta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper
For the vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup good quality aged balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 good quality extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large clove minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced shallot
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Garnish:
- fresh basil
- parmesan cheese
Instructions
- For the stacks:wash and cut vegetables. Toss in with a bit of olive oil (about one tablespoon) and salt and pepper. Place vegetables on hot grill and cook evenly on both sides until cooked through. Make sure to get those nice grill marks.Once veggies are done, set aside. Slice polenta roll into twelve evenly sized slices. blush each slice with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.Place slices on hot grill, getting those nice grill marks on each side. Since polenta is fully cooked, it just needs to heat through on the grill.Place polenta on platter or board for serving and artistically to each with the grilled vegetables.Serve with Balsamic VinaigretteFor the Vinaigrette:Combine vinaigrette ingredients in a bowl and whisk swiftly until well combined. This can be done in a food processor as well.
9 Comments
chef mimi
June 30, 2018 at 4:12 pmBeautiful! I’d forgotten about those rolls of polenta. so smart.
angela@mealstreetkitchen
July 1, 2018 at 12:33 amThank you Mimi! They are great to have on hand for quick appetizers.
indianeskitchen
June 29, 2018 at 11:21 amOMG I love this and your presentation is fabulous!
angela@mealstreetkitchen
June 29, 2018 at 1:14 pmThank you so much Diane
overthehillontheyellowbrickroad
June 29, 2018 at 3:35 amThis looks delicious! I don’t grill, but I guess I could roast all these vegetables and it would still come out okay?
angela@mealstreetkitchen
June 29, 2018 at 8:12 amThank you Cathi☺️ I think that roasting the veggies would work great as well. I would brown the polenta in a pan on the stove with a bit of olive oil.
overthehillontheyellowbrickroad
June 30, 2018 at 10:57 amSounds good. I’m on it.
overthehillontheyellowbrickroad
June 30, 2018 at 10:58 amSounds good! I’m on it.
angela@mealstreetkitchen
June 30, 2018 at 1:17 pmYay! Hope you enjoy!