In the face of all this chaos, I wanted something comforting to eat. So, I turned to a favorite cookbook- Jack Bishop's Complete Italian Vegetarian Cookbook - and a favorite recipe - polenta with kale.
Cleaned, chopped kale is boiled in olive oil and salt. The cornmeal is then slowly whisked in, so that it cooks in the kale broth. The result is a rich, creamy polenta speckled with green flecks of kale.
Not only is it a simple recipe with a short list of ingredients, but Mr. Bishop's technique for cooking polenta doesn't require the cook to stand over the stove, stirring constantly, for the entire time the polenta is simmering. This left me time to throw together his fennel and orange salad: chopped fennel and oranges, mixed with olives and mint, and tossed in olive oil.
This refreshing salad, and the comforting polenta with kale, provided a pleasant conclusion to an otherwise hectic week.
(Both recipes can be found in the cookbook.)
