Roasted Vegetables with Polenta

I just love roasted vegetables and here’s a good, hearty, warming roasted vegetable dish—perfect for a cold winter night. And the roasted tomato sauce that goes with it is great on pasta, rice, or plain polenta.

ROASTED VEGETABLES WITH POLENTA

Serves four gourmets or two gourmands

1 medium zucchini, cleaned and sliced into ¼ inch rounds
1 medium eggplant, cleaned, peeled, and sliced into ¼ inch rounds
1 medium bulb fennel, cleaned, top removed, and bottom sliced lengthways into
¼ inch slices
½ cauliflower, cleaned and broken into florets
3 Tbsp. olive oil
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 1/3 cups corn meal
1 recipe Roast Tomato Sauce

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Place the vegetables in a roasting pan in one layer. Baste with olive oil. Salt.
3. Roast for 45 minutes or until tender
4. While the vegetables are roasting make polenta and roast tomato sauce.
5. Polenta: place stock in four quart pan over high heat. Whisk cornmeal into stock.
   Stir until polenta comes to boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cover for 40 minutes, stirring
   occasionally.
6. Spread polenta on serving platter. Top with roasted vegetables. Top with roast
   tomato sauce. Serve any remaining sauce on the side.

ROASTED TOMATO SAUCE

4 servings

6 ripe medium tomatoes, cored and halved
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. minced fresh basil or 1 Tsp. dried

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Roast tomatoes in oven for 40 minutes in heat-proof roasting pan (with sides)
   until starting to brown on top.
3. Remove tomatoes from oven. Crush slightly with back of spoon and scrape off
   any crusted-on juices.
4. Chop tomatoes in food processor or blender until moderately smooth.
5. Saute garlic in olive oil over medium heat for 30 seconds.
6. Stir tomatoes into garlic and oil. Cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
7. Stir basil into sauce.

Serve over pasta, polenta, or rice.