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Polenta con tuco
Polenta con tuco: soft, cheesy polenta under a slow-simmered Italian-Argentine tomato sauce
Tuco is what Argentines call the red sauce of their Italian grandparents, and spooned over a mound of soft polenta it is one of the most ordinary, best-loved cold-weather suppers in Buenos Aires and across the pampas. On Sundays the sauce often gets a piece of beef; this is the everyday meatless version, with onion, red pepper, carrot, bay and a long simmer that turns the tomato sweet and deep. The polenta is enriched with butter and cheese until it falls off the spoon like thick custard. The most common mistake is pouring the cornmeal into the water all at once, which gives you lumps you will never beat out, so rain it in slowly while whisking. Grated hard cheese is usually made with animal rennet; choose a vegetarian one if needed. Chef's tip: make the tuco first and let it rest off the heat while the polenta cooks; even 15 minutes of standing rounds out its flavour.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the tuco
For the polenta
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a saucepan over a medium-low heat and cook 1 onion, 1 red pepper and 1 carrot until very soft and sweet, without browning.
10 minStep 2: Add 2 cloves garlic and cook until fragrant.
1 minStep 3: Pour in 3 cups tomato passata, add 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp sugar and 1 tsp salt, half-cover and simmer gently, stirring now and then, until the sauce is thick and a shade darker.
25 minStep 4: Bring 4 ¼ cups water, 1 cup milk and 1 tsp salt to the boil in a heavy pan.
Step 5: Turn the heat to low and rain in 9 oz quick-cook polenta in a thin stream, whisking all the time, then switch to a wooden spoon and stir until it is thick and pulls away from the sides.
5 minStep 6: Stir in 1 ⅜ oz butter and 1 ⅜ oz grated hard cheese until glossy. If it is too stiff, loosen with a splash of hot water; it should slump softly on the plate.
Step 7: Spoon the polenta onto warm plates, make a hollow in the middle, ladle over the tuco (bay leaves removed) and finish with 1 ⅜ oz grated hard cheese.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 430 kcal
- Protein
- 14 g
- Carbs
- 58 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does polenta con tuco take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of red pepper?
- Any colour of bell pepper, same amount.
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