🧀 Crispy Polenta Rounds with Whipped Goat Cheese & Tomato Jam
Crispy seared polenta slices topped with a cloud of whipped goat cheese and sweet-savory tomato jam. It’s crunchy, creamy, tangy, and perfect for serving warm or at room temp.
⸻
Ingredients (makes 12 appetizers):
For the crispy polenta: • 1 roll (18 oz / 510g) prepared polenta, sliced into ½-inch rounds • 2 tbsp olive oil • Salt & pepper
For the whipped goat cheese: • 4 oz (115g) goat cheese, softened • 2 oz (60g) cream cheese • 1 tbsp milk or cream • Salt, to taste
For the tomato jam: • 1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved) • 1 tbsp olive oil • 1 tbsp brown sugar • 1 tsp balsamic vinegar • Pinch of chili flakes (optional) • Salt & black pepper
To garnish: • Fresh thyme or basil leaves (optional)
⸻
Instructions: 1. Make the tomato jam: In a small saucepan, heat olive oil. Add cherry tomatoes, sugar, vinegar, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Simmer over low heat until thickened and jammy (15–20 min). Cool slightly. 2. Whip the goat cheese: Blend goat cheese, cream cheese, and milk in a food processor until smooth. Season lightly with salt. 3. Crisp the polenta: Heat olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Sear polenta slices 3–4 min per side until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels. 4. Assemble: Top each warm polenta round with a dollop of whipped goat cheese and a spoonful of tomato jam. Garnish with herbs.
⸻
Love elegant appetizers like this? Comment APPETIZER to get our Appetizer eBook with 92 crowd-pleasing recipes for just $3.90 USD. Or comment 100 to unlock the full bundle — 100 themed eBooks with over 80,000 recipes — for only $5 USD.
