Polenta Bowl with Poached Egg and Dressed Herbs

From the recipe author: These cozy comfort bowls are perfect for the weird spring weather that we get in San Francisco—we have breezy afternoons where my garden blooms in the sunshine and chilly, foggy evenings, so this recipe is inspired by that dichotomy. This is a celebration of simple flavors. The poached eggs nestled in the cheesy polenta really allow you to taste the natural goodness of a high-quality yolk and the light, simple dressing allows all the unique flavors of the tender herbs to shine.

Most of the greens shown here were grown in my garden; I went around my backyard snipping young leaves here and there, and ended up with a medley of parsley, mint, basil, red veined sorrel, red shiso, nasturtium, pea shoots, and chive blossoms, which I then supplemented with some upland cress. Feel free to use what you have on hand or what looks beautiful at your local farmers market. But for best results, I suggest using a variety of herbs so that it looks and tastes like the bounty of spring is sprouting forth from your bowls!

To make the salad dressing

1. Combine the lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, and salt in a bowl and whisk thoroughly to combine. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking vigorously. Set aside.

To make the polenta

1. Bring the water to a boil in a stainless steel pot and stir in the 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt. Whisk in the cornmeal. Continue whisking until the cornmeal starts to become incorporated with the liquid and there no longer appears to be a separate layer of water on top, about 3–5 minutes.
2. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 25–30 minutes, whisking occasionally.
3. While the polenta cooks, poach the eggs following the instructions below.
4. Once the polenta is thick, smooth, and no longer gritty, add the butter and crème fraîche. Shut off the heat, add the Romano cheese, and whisk thoroughly to melt and combine. Salt to taste. Plate and serve immediately (see notes).

To poach the eggs

1. Bring a large saucepan full of water to a boil. Crack each egg into a ramekin.
2. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the vinegar.
3. Slowly slide each egg into the water (creating a whirlpool in the water first, if desired). Poach each egg for 3 minutes for completely runny yolks, remove with a slotted spoon, and let drain on a paper towel.

To assemble the bowls

1. Divide the polenta between two wide, shallow bowls. Add 2 poached eggs on top of each bed of polenta.
2. Toss the greens, herbs, and other salad garnishes (if using) together with the dressing and divide between the bowls. Finish each bowl with some freshly ground black pepper and shavings of Romano cheese.

Farm Team Tips

While this polenta stays nice and creamy while hot, polenta will always firm up when cooled. If this happens before you are ready to serve, reheat it on low and whisk in 1 teaspoon of milk or cream at a time until it returns to the desired consistency.