Polenta Fries with Spicy Tomato Dipping Sauce

This recipe is from the inspiration after visiting Tabor Hill Winery while vacationing last week.

My parent's live in Hobart, Indiana and I have a sister that lives in Valparaiso, Indiana. We decided to take a trip to the Lake Michigan Shore Wine Country! What a fun day! First on the stop was Tabor Hill Winery & Restaurant. We all enjoyed a wine tasting, and then lunch! Almost felt like we were in the California Wine Country...it was so beautiful!!
After enjoying Polenta Fries with dipping sauces, I couldn't wait to get home and try my own version....a real foodie I am!!

Here is what I came up with....and we LOVED them!!

Polenta Fries with Spicy Tomato Dipping Sauce

POLENTA
1 cup polenta

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a 3-quart pan over high heat, bring 4 cups water to a boil. Reduce heat to a low boil.

1. Stirring constantly, pour in polenta in a slow, thin stream, pausing occasionally to break up any lumps. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt.


2. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, until polenta is thick and creamy to bite and pulls away slightly from sides of pan when stirred, 20 to 40 minutes.


3. Stir cheese into hot polenta. Add salt and pepper to taste. Scrape mixture into a buttered 8-9 inch square baking pan, spread level, 3/4 to 1 inch thick. Chill until very firm, at least 1 1/2 hours and up to 1 day.


4. Run a knife around edges of pan to loosen polenta, invert onto a board, and lift off pan. Cut polenta in half to form two equal rectangles (wipe knife with a wet paper towel as needed to prevent sticking), then cut each half into strips 1/2 wide and 3 to 4 inches long to produce thick fries (or cut strips in half through wider side to produce thin, square-cut fries). Trim away uneven edges. Spread about 1/2 cup flour on a rimmed plate and roll each polenta strip lightly in flour.


5. Pour enough oil into a 10 by 15 inch nonstick baking pan to coat well (use two pans for thin-cut fries); roll strips in oil to coat, then spread them out in pan. Bake in a 450 oven, turning fries occasionally, until crisp and browned, 35 to 45 minutes.


6. Sprinkle fries with salt and serve with spicy tomato dipping sauce.

Spicy Tomato Dipping Sauce

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 can (14 oz.) whole tomatoes

1/2 cup lightly packed rinsed fresh basil leaves

1 dried bay leaf

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon cayenne

In a 10 -12 inch frying pan over medium low heat, frequently stir onion in olive oil until very limp, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, basil leaves, and bay leaf to pan. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes have disintegrated and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 30 minutes. Let cool about 30 minutes. Discard bay leaf. In a blender whirl tomato mixture, sherry vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, and cayenne until smooth. Use or chill airtight up to 2 days.

I also enjoyed a Fried Green Tomato Salad, I hope to show you all how to make this salad soon!