Ingredients
- FOR THE POLENTA:
- 300ml milk
- 300ml water
- 2 strips of lemon peel
- 1 clove of garlic, peeled and gently crushed
- 2 bay leaves, fresh if possible
- 150g instant polenta
- 100g Parmesan, grated
- Salt and white pepper
- 250g asparagus
- A good drizzle of olive oil
- FOR THE GREMOLATA:
- 1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1tsp maple syrup
- 100ml extra virgin olive oil
- 2tbs finely chopped flat parsley
- Salt
- Black pepper
1 Set the oven to 185 degrees.
2 Bring the milk and water up to a simmer in a medium-sized pan, then add the lemon, garlic and bay.
3 Let it infuse for a minute or two, then drizzle in the polenta, little by little, whisking all the time, until you get a smooth, creamy texture.
4 Remove the lemon, garlic and bay leaf, then add most of the Parmesan, leaving some to sprinkle over the top, and season.
5 Keep the polenta warm – it stiffens up pretty quickly, but you can loosen it with a little more milk.
6 Trim a third from the bottom of the asparagus; if they are large you will need to carefully peel them, too.
7 Put them on a tray, drizzle with olive oil and season. Roast in the oven for 12 minutes or so, until they are tender and wilted slightly.
8 Mix all the gremolata ingredients together.
9 To serve, spoon a bed of polenta on to the base of a platter, then top with the asparagus and any residual oil from the tray. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and serve the gremolata on the side.
