Name: Polenta with sardines and coriander salsa
Ingredients: 200g quick cook polenta; 195ml olive oil; 2 x 120g tins sardines in sunflower oil; 90g spring onions, finely chopped; 5 cloves garlic, crushed; 4 tbsp tomato paste; 1 x 340g tin sweetcorn, strained; 5g ginger, peeled and finely grated; ½ tsp ground cumin; 2 tsp aleppo chilli; 1 lime juiced to get 1 tbsp; 25g coriander leaves, finely chopped; fine sea salt and black pepper

Polenta with sardines and coriander salsa

Main Gluten free

Serves 4

Prep 5 min

Cook 25 min

This is another cupboard raid dish, made from things I had lying around at home. It’s very simple to make and doesn’t take much time at all. Both sweet, savoury and extremely comforting, sometimes less really is more!

Ingredients

200g	quick cook polenta
195ml	olive oil
2 x 120g	tins sardines in sunflower oil
90g	spring onions, finely chopped
5	cloves garlic, crushed
4 tbsp	tomato paste
1 x 340g	tin sweetcorn, strained
5g	ginger, peeled and finely grated
½ tsp	ground cumin
2 tsp	aleppo chilli
1	lime juiced to get 1 tbsp
25g	coriander leaves, finely chopped
	fine sea salt and black pepper

Method

Add 1 ½ litres water and 1 teaspoon of salt to a medium saucepan and bring to the boil on a medium high heat. Pour the polenta into the boiling water, whisking constantly, and cook for 5 minutes, reducing the heat if the polenta starts to spit. Once the mixture has thickened to a loose porridge consistency, turn down to the lowest heat and cover with a lid or a piece of parchment.
Heat 120 millilitres oil, the sardines, spring onions, garlic, tomato paste and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a medium saute pan over medium high heat for 10 minutes until the onions have softened and the sardines have broken down. Add the sweetcorn, ginger, cumin and chilli and cook for another 5 minutes, until the spices are fragrant and the sauce has visibly darkened in colour.
Meanwhile, mix the remaining 30 grams of spring onions and 75 millilitres of oil in a small bowl with the coriander, lime, and ⅛ teaspoon salt.
To serve, ladle the polenta into four shallow bowls and top with the sardine mixture and the herb oil.