Creamy Polenta with Poached Egg and Kalamata Olive Tapenade

This week I was forced to eat only soft foods due to a not so fun dental procedure. The doctor suggest mashed potatoes and ice cream but that just seemed a little too boring.  I had quite a bit of cornmeal in the cabinet so I thought polenta would be the perfect soft meal. This is a quick and easy dish to make that can be eaten for any meal. I had it for dinner but this would surely make a great brunch. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

Makes 4-6 servings

ChunkyTapenade
1 cup pitted kalamata &  olives, chopped
1 tbs capers, diced
1 tbs olive oil (plus more for garnish)
1/4 cup roasted red bell pepper, chopped

Make sure all of the ingredients are chopped. Set aside until the dish is ready.

Creamy Polenta
4 cups water
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
2 cups of medium grind cornmeal
1 cup shredded finely shredded pecorino romano or paremsan 
S&P

Heat the water and broth in a large pot, once it is boiling slowly pour in the cornmeal. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 20-25 minutes. If you want the polenta creamier just add a little more broth. Once the polenta has absorbed all the water remove it from the heat and stir in the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. 

Poached Egg
4 eggs
1 tsp white vinegar

Crack each egg into a small bowl. Fill a medium pot with water and add in the vinegar and bring the water to a simmer. When the water is simmering give it a little whirl making a gentle cyclone effect. Slowly pour in each egg, one at a time. Keep a spoon handy to keep the eggs separate. The eggs should only take about 3 minutes each. Remove the egg with a slotted spoon. If you've never poached an egg I suggest watching this you-tube video and give it a shot. 

To serve
Spoon the polenta into your serving bowls, top with a poached egg then the tapenade. Drizzle a little more olive oil over the polenta. Serve warm.