Arugula and Chicken Salad Polenta Cake Recipe

Arugula and Chicken Salad Polenta Cake

Jesse Bluma at Pointe Viven. All rights reserved.

This is the answer for what to serve at a brunch or picnic.  The following recipe for an arugula and chicken salad polenta cake is worth the effort and can be made in advance before a luncheon or packed in a picnic basket for traveling.  Enjoy this herbaceous and healthy-minded meal at your next gathering of family and friends.  

Polenta Cake Ingredients

3 cups Water
2 cloves Garlic, peeled and diced
1/2 teaspoon Smoked paprika
2 ounces Parmesan cheese (Primo Taglio), grated
3 Tablespoons Fresh chives, washed and finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon Salt
3/4 cup Polenta, also known as corn meal (Bob's Red Mill)
1 Tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil

Cracked sourdough wheat bread
Cooking spray (Smart Balance)

Swiss cheese (Sargento Deli Style Sliced Reduced Fat)

Fresh organic basil (rinsed clean)

Butter (Smart Balance)

*See ingredients for salad below.

Polenta Cake Directions

1.  Pour three cups water into a medium size saucepan.  

2.  Peel the 2 cloves garlic.  (*Tip: separate two cloves garlic from a head of garlic.  Place the two cloves in a small bowl.  Place another small bowl, inverted, on top of the other bowl.  Hold both bowls firmly together with your hands.  Shake the two bowls until the peels release from the garlic cloves.)  

3.  Dice the garlic cloves and place in the saucepan.  

4.  Wash and chop 3 Tablespoons chives.  Then place in the saucepan.  

5.  Grate 2 ounces of Parmesan cheese and set aside.  

6.  Bring the saucepan to a boil over high heat.  

7.  After ingredients in saucepan come to a boil, begin whisking.  

8.  Reduce the heat to medium-low.  

9.  Continue whisking for 5 to 8 minutes, until polenta thickens.  

10.  Slowly sprinkle in the grated Parmesan cheese and keep 

whisking.  

11.  Add in 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and whisk to combine ingredients.  

12.  Coat a pie dish with cooking spray.  (9" round dish). 

13.  Even and smooth out polenta in the pie dish.  

14.  Set pan aside for 45 minutes to allow polenta to become firm.  

15.  Pre-heat broiler, with approximately 10 to 15 minutes remaining of the 45 minutes.  

16.  Line a metal baking sheet with parchment paper.  *Do not use a glass pan, as glass breaks under a broiler.  

17.  Use an offset spatula to assist in removing the polenta cake from the pie dish and place on the parchment lined baking sheet.

18.  Lightly coat the polenta with cooking spray.  

19.  Place the metal baking sheet with polenta in oven, several inches underneath the broiler.  

20.  Broil the polenta for approximately 8 to 16 minutes, until the top is golden brown.  

21.  Carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven and set aside to cool.  

Arugula and Chicken Salad Ingredients

1 bunch organic arugula 

Zest of 1 organic lemon

Juice of 1 organic lemon

1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt

3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

Parmesan cheese (Primo Taglio), grated

Organic rotisserie chicken, 1/4” sliced strips 

Arugula and Chicken Salad Directions

1.  Wash and gently dry the arugula.

2.  Wash and dry the lemon.

3.  Zest the lemon.

4.  Juice the lemon. 

5.  In a small bowl or container, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper.

6.  Pour enough dressing over the arugula to lightly coat the lettuce. 

7.  Slice rotisserie chicken. 

8.  Place polenta cake on a serving dish, top with arugula, sliced chicken, and grated Parmesan cheese.

Slice and serve immediately.

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