Nothing says Spring quite like asparagus (with the possible exception of rhubarb) and it stars here in this super nutritious casserole. Pair this with a simple green salad and you have a meal sure to impress the capri pants off your dinner guests.
There is a lot going on in this dish, and I know the instructions may seem a little daunting at first glance, but I promise you it's worth the little bit of extra work and comes together a lot quicker than the instructions would lead you to believe!
But before we go any further, I would like to take a moment to talk about fiddleheads:
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| What are fiddleheads, you ask? These are! |
Fiddleheads are wonderful. I would have started this post with "nothing says Spring quite like fiddleheads" if it wasn't for the very short period they are in season, which makes them hard to squeeze into most people's culinary lives. For this, and a few other reasons I will mention shortly, the fiddleheads in this recipe are optional and can easily be replaced by a second bunch of asparagus. Asparagus and fiddleheads have a very similar flavour, so it doesn't take too much away from the casserole to go without - but if you want to fully ensure the aforementioned impressing of dinner guests, the fiddleheads are the clincher.
Fiddleheads are the trimmed tips of the fiddlehead fern. They contain Omega 3 and 6, are high in iron and fibre, and I recently read a little blurb on them in a magazine that mentioned a possible link between the alpha-carotene they contain and longevity. Pretty cool, huh?
But, with the good comes the . . . .
If you haven't worked with fiddleheads before it is important to note that they must be cooked properly. Fiddleheads can cause food poisoning if prepared incorrectly, so please take a moment to read this helpful info sheet and fear not, I will go over this again in the recipe instructions.
All this being said, don't get too paranoid and pre-boil the heck out of the poor things, they are very delicate and will begin to disintegrate if over cooked. As long as you follow the instructions they won't make you sick.
Now back to the casserole!
As I said at the beginning of this post, this casserole packs a lot of nutritional punch (aside from being just plain delicious, if I do say so myself). You have the asparagus, which is chalk full of vitamins, minerals, protein and dietary fibre, the sauce, which is made from eggplants (this is an excellent way to get people who are not fans of eggplant to eat eggplant) which is rich in vitamin C, and all this tops a tasty polenta crust, which is gluten-free, a great source of protein (a serving of polenta contains more protein than an egg) and it also contains several vitamins and minerals, like A, C, potassium and phosphorus.
When choosing your cornmeal for the polenta, always go organic. This goes for all corn products as a lot of the conventional corn out there comes from genetically modified seeds, and there are no labelling laws in Canada for genetically modified foods. Some countries do have labelling laws, so if you're not sure if they do where you live, look into it! Less GMOs is better for you and better for the planet.
So, without further ado, here is the recipe:
Springtime Casserole
Makes 6-8 servings
The Veggies:
1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed and stalks cut in half
about 2 dozen fiddleheads or another bunch asparagus, prepared the same as the first bunch
2 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
5 or 6 cremini mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
For Polenta Crust:
3 cups water
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup medium grind cornmeal
For The Sauce:
1 very large or 2 medium eggplant(s), peeled and cubed
1/2 cup canned crushed tomatoes
2 roasted red peppers, pureed in a small food processor or blender
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
a pinch or two of cayenne pepper
If you are using the fiddleheads, prep them first as follows: trim the ends and pick off as much of the bits of brown skin on them as possible. Put them in a colander or strainer and rinse under cold water for several minutes, tossing them as you rinse to make sure they are thoroughly cleaned. Bring a small pot of water to a boil and boil the fiddleheads for 10-15 minutes. Strain the fiddleheads and set aside. Discard the boiling water and clean the pot thoroughly.
Prep the asparagus by blanching in boiling water for 5 minutes. Strain and set the asparagus aside.
Lightly oil a 7x11" (or similar sized) baking dish. Set aside.
Next prepare the polenta: Combine the water, oil and salt in a pot and bring to a rapid boil. Turn the heat down to medium-low (really as low as it will go without ceasing to boil) and slowly pour the cornmeal in, stirring constantly. Continue to stir for about 3 minutes until the polenta is a smooth thick consistency. Immediately transfer the polenta to the baking dish, and smooth it to create an even bottom crust. Set aside. For first time polenta makers: while you're stirring, the polenta will bubble and spit up at you. So seriously, turn the heat down as low as possible! Usually I will turn the dial down to 2 or 3 while I am pouring the cornmeal in to the water, and then I will turn it down more to just above 1, about a minute into stirring, as soon as I see the first signs of bubbling.
Next prepare the sauce: Put the eggplant cubes in a pot and fill with water. The water doesn't need to cover the eggplant, as long as it comes about half way up. Put the pot over high heat, cover and bring to a boil. Cook for 8-10 minutes, until the eggplant is very soft. Turn the burner off and remove the pot. Strain and return the eggplant to the pot. Mash the eggplant with a potato masher until very smooth. Turn the burner back on to low and return the pot to the heat. Stir in the tomatoes, red pepper, oregano, basil, salt, pepper and a pinch of cayenne. Stir until well combined and heated through. Taste and adjust salt, pepper and cayenne to your tastes. The sauce should have a peppery kick, without being spicy. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350º
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium low heat and add the garlic, sautéing for a minute or two until fragrant. Add the asparagus and toss until coated. Allow the asparagus to cook for 5-10 minutes, tossing once or twice. Add the mushrooms and fiddleheads (if using) and toss gently to combine. Cook, stirring once or twice, until the mushrooms begin to release their liquid. Add the sauce to the pan and stir to combine. Remove from heat and pour over the polenta crust, spreading gently to evenly distribute the mixture.
Transfer the casserole to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes until it is heated through.
Serve and enjoy!
Veg Jenski xo
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